


Defeating Demons

by voltagelisa



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Biting, Dominating, F/M, biotic, virgin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-18
Updated: 2014-07-07
Packaged: 2017-12-08 19:45:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 70,835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/765282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/voltagelisa/pseuds/voltagelisa





	1. Chapter 1

He enjoyed watching her in action. That was one of the reasons he asked for her help with this mission. The other reason being not many people chose to cross her, and she would be able to find information faster than he could. For instance, the interrogation- they had been in there no more than a few minutes before they got all the information they needed; Shepard made one threat using her Spectre status.

His son was in trouble, and he was there to stop him from making a stupid mistake. He knew it was his fault, no matter what the Commander said. She was young, younger than he had thought, given her history.

He didn’t know what her plan was, but when she held the data pad in her hand, she told him that Taliad was going to die. He just hoped she didn’t mean by his son’s hand.

“Thane, do you see your son?” Her rich voice came through the headset; smooth like silk.

“Yes, I see him,” he told her. He watched his son, eyeing his quarry.

“Where is he?” she asked.

Thane glanced up for a moment, spotting her high on the catwalk.

“To your right- three feet, leaning against the wall,” he answered, unsure why she wanted to know. “Are you watching Taliad?”

“Don’t worry about him; I already have plans for him,” she hissed through the headset.

Shepard moved quickly, leaping off of the walkway, making the twelve foot drop with a black flip; she landed on her feet gracefully. She turned to his son, using her biotics to place him in stasis. Thane knew that no matter how strong his son was in biotics, there was no way he would be able to free himself from anything she did to him. She was a very powerful biotic.

She turned to Taliad, running towards him fueled by her biotics, landing a round house kick across the side of his head. She moved quickly hitting him with an upper cut that snapped his head back viciously, breaking his neck in the process. Thane shook his head as he saw her hands glow a bright blue. Worry slid through him; he knew she was on edge, and that wasn’t good. The Krogan gave a bellow, charging towards her. Using Throw on him, she sent him flying, and without hesitation she pulled her gun, killing him with one shot. She turned towards Thane’s son, letting him out of the stasis shield.

“Why did you do that, human?” his son asked her.

Thane heard the annoyance in his son’s voice and wondered how Shepard would take it. Shepard didn’t answer. She stood there coldly, taking the boy’s measure, and Thane hoped his son didn’t say anything that would upset her. Right now there was no safe spot to go to.

“I’m doing a favor for a friend,” she answered him; her voice was brisk, but that didn’t hide the smooth velvety sound of it.

His son’s eyes widened at the sound of her voice. Thane didn’t blame him; it was the same reaction he had when he first heard her. When he saw Shepard for the first time, her voice had an odd affect on him; it wasn’t sexual but it was soothing.

“And who is this friend?” Kolyat asked harshly; his fringes turning bright red from embarrassment for staring at her.

Kolyat wasn’t sure what to make of this woman. She had dark smooth skin; chocolate brown in color, her rich black hair was pulled away from her face, showing exotic bright green eyes. She had full lips, and very little marred her smooth skin. He blinked his inner eyelids, trying to get himself under control.

Shepard glanced over his shoulder with a nod. He turned around slowly, not sure what to expect. Anger, betrayal, and something close to rage, rose inside of him; beneath all of that was hurt. Year’s worth of pain at the sight of the man standing behind of him came out in one word.

“You!” he hissed. “This is some kind of joke, isn’t it?” he spat belligerently.

“Kolyat, listen to what he has to say. You want to hear this,” Shepard interjected, cutting across his anger smoothly.

She cut him off before he said something he would regret. He turned to his father again and tried to contain his emotions. He didn’t want this man to see his pain, to see how much his absence actually affected him.

Shepard watched as father and son talked. Kolyat looked a lot like his father; he was good-looking, lean and muscular. Thankfully, he didn’t wear the same type of clothing his father loved to wear, clothing she found a bit too revealing. Most of the time Thane’s choice of wardrobe made her uncomfortable. Thane had an exotic look; his clothes fit him like a glove leaving little to the imagination. His smooth chest showing through his vest was one thing that Shepard tried hard to avoid looking at, especially with her history. Kolyat was wearing a skin tight outfit that once again, left little to the imagination, but it at least covered him.

Shepard looked around the bar and noticed that they had everyone’s attention. “Hey boys, we should take this elsewhere,” she muttered; a pointed look towards the crowd around them.

“Where would you suggest we go that would be more private?” Thane asked; he too noticed the growing attention of the crowd. He didn’t want to be presumptuous and suggest the Normandy.

“Where else, the Normandy,” she answered with a roll of her eyes. “Come on Kolyat, I don’t trust you enough to let you out of my sight.” She stated pointedly. “Thane, you have the lead!”

Shepard and Thane talked quietly with each other as they walked side by side behind Kolyat. He could hear the soft murmurs of their voices. Kolyat wasn’t sure what to make of it. He kept glancing over his shoulder at the Commander, his skin feeling hot every time he looked at her. As far he was concerned, that was a very wrong reaction to have with her; she was human, not a Drell.

Plus, this was the Commander Shepard, the savor of the Citadel, and the one who took down Saren. This was the woman who was reputed to be the most powerful human biotic known. Rumor had it that she was cold, distant with no sense of humor.

“Problem, Kolyat?” she asked softly, when she caught him looking at her once again. She wasn’t sure what had caught his attention about her, but it was becoming annoying.

Hastily, he turned his focus forward without answering. He could feel his red ribbing burning from embarrassment once again. His father looked at him with a questioning look. He avoided those eyes, not sure how to answer and hated that he was caught.

The large ship loomed ahead of them; Kolyat eyed the ship in awe. Shepard walked by him punching in a code, and when the doors opened, she led the way. The doors closed behind the three of them. Thane stood there rigidly not looking at anyone. Shepard moved closer to Thane, concern in her eyes, giving him a questioning look. She knew not to touch him, so this was the best she could do for him. Thane nodded reassuringly to her. His problem right now was a son he didn’t know how to interact with. Shepard gave him a soft smile full of sympathy.

Thane looked down at her, a soft smile coming to him as he regarded her. Kolyat felt jealously well up inside of him; he scowled at the two of them. _So that’s how it is; she’s my mother’s replacement. So nice of my father to forget about his dead wife so easily,_ he thought snidely. The doors ahead of them opened when the decontamination finished. Shepard moved forward without waiting for them.

A Turian stood before her with a mug that held steaming liquid in his hand. He passed it over to her when she leaned on the console next to him.

“Thanks Garrus,” she murmured, taking a deep breath of the liquid, followed by a sip. She moaned in appreciation, her eyes closed; her skin was flushed from the steam. Her face relaxed with a look of pleasure.

Kolyat couldn’t tear his eyes away from her and from what he had noticed, neither could quite a few other males, including his father and the one she called Garrus. His father finally tore his eyes away from the woman with an amused shake of his head.

“Follow me,” Thane said to Kolyat when he noticed the younger Drell was enraptured in the antics of the Commander.

Shepard and her coffee; he never understood why she loved it so much. It reminded him too much of what a woman looks like when she had found her pleasure. Garrus had said the same thing too, as have some of the males on board.

He led Kolyat into his room, wondering how he was going to have this talk. He hoped his son would listen to reason, but there was too much anger there.

Shepard left CIC with her mug held in her hands, barely noticing anyone about. She scolded herself for using too much biotics, and now she was paying for it. She could feel the dark energy coursing through her. She knew had to go dockside and soon.

For now, she went to her quarters to do some work that had been building up. For the last few days since she found out about Thane’s problem with his son, she spent as much time with him as possible, trying to help him through it. It wasn’t easy since he closed himself off, ashamed of himself. She tried to nip that one in the bud as quick as possible, but it was like talking to a wall.

Data pads were strewn across her desk, so much so that she couldn’t see the wood anymore. It was very depressing. With an aggravated sigh, she started working, reading over everything with annoyance. She wasn’t sure how much time passed before she noticed that her hands were starting to glow a faint blue. _Fuck! I have to get out of here, **now**!_ She thought desperately.

She was about to leave when her door buzzed. She grumbled beneath her breath and unlocked the door. Her eyes widened when Thane and his son walked in. Thane had a blackening eye; Kolyat had a bruise forming on his cheek. Anger burned bright in both of their eyes.

“This had better be good. I was just heading off of the ship,” she bit out coldly.

They both stared at her, shocked for a brief moment. Thane was the first to recover; he glanced down at her hands and noticed the faint blue glow. He looked at her warily and was about to force his son to leave. It wasn’t safe in here right now. She was too close to losing control of her biotics.

He never got the story of why she had this problem. He asked a few times and the only answer he got was a cold, lethal glare. He asked Garrus once, and he had informed him he couldn’t answer that question.

“Kolyat, we need to leave right now,” Thane warned, placing a hand on his son’s shoulder.

“What? Why?” he asked, looking at the Commander with a confused expression.

She didn’t answer and Thane wasn’t going to answer. This was her personal life and she hated anything about her being spread around like gossip, few people had already learnt that the hard way.

“Don’t ask!” Shepard bit out, her crystal green eyes had turned cold and deadly.

Kolyat stood there transfixed by her eyes; they were amazing, and he couldn’t tear himself away even if he wanted to.

“Kolyat!” his father’s urgent voice cut through his haze.

His eyes flicked to him, and he could see fear on his father’s face. He turned back to the Commander and noticed a faint glow to her, giving her an angelic look. A sigh escaped him; his body relaxed without thought as he took a step towards her. She hissed, backing away quickly.

Thane stopped his son, shocked by his reaction to Shepard. If he would have touched her in this condition he wouldn’t have survived. Shepard’s energy would have barreled through him, killing him. He had a dose of her energy once and that was enough. It had ripped through him painfully, bringing him to his knees. He tried to keep his expression closed off but he couldn’t stop the cry of pain from coming out. Later that night he woke in the Med Bay with two very worried people- Mordin and Chakwas. He remembered seeing the fear in their eyes. He remembered them explaining to him to never touch the Commander again.

He remembered the first time they had met and offered his hand to seal their deal.

_“You don’t want to do that,” she had stated coldly._

_He reeled back in shock at her rudeness. After that, he hadn’t been sure about being aboard this ship. He had thought it was because he was an alien that she reacted that way. Later that night he found out differently when he found her awake late at night. She looked like something was bothering her as she sat drinking her coffee. He had taken a seat across from her; he had planned on finding out what she had against aliens._

_The question stopped short on his tongue when she looked up and gave him a halfhearted smile. He was confused; he didn’t know what to think, so he decided to go ahead and ask._

_“Why didn’t you take my hand before?” he asked her._

_“There are a lot of questions I will answer, but that is one that I won’t. Just know it didn’t have anything to do with you personally.” She told him softly, her eyes never leaving her hands. “A few words of wisdom, ones you will want to remember on this ship if you want to live- Don’t touch me.”_

_At first he thought it was a threat, but there was so much sadness in her eyes that he knew it wasn’t._

He flashed back to the present; he now understood her words. She was protecting him, not threatening him; just as she was now protecting his son, by backing away.

When she wasn’t over ridden by her biotics, she was a good friend. She had already made it quite clear that she didn’t want anything more from him. He understood and agreed not to act on his attraction towards her, though that attraction wasn’t there anymore. He looked at her more like a daughter, someone to look after. So now they were very good friends, she had shown him a life of forgiveness, and woke him from his battle sleep.

“Thane, get him out of here,” she hissed urgently, swaying in place.

She grasped at her desk but missed, stumbling forward before catching herself. Before Thane could do anything, Kolyat reached out for her, catching her arm to steady her.

A low moan escaped Kolyat’s lips, his head bowed as her biotics washed over him; his breaths came in pants as the pleasure of it shot through him. He met her stare with heated eyes. She looked at him in shock, her other hand reaching out hesitantly, brushing lightly against his cheek. He caught her hand and held it against his face tightly as her biotics still ran through him. He had expected pain, but that was not what it felt like at all. It was like the wind caressing his body; where she touched, it felt like water smoothing over his skin. It was soothing and erotic at the same time.

Thane was about to reach out to his son, but it was too late. He said a silent prayer in good bye to his son. He knew as soon as contact was made, that Shepard would lose full control and his son would take the brunt of it.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Thane couldn’t open his eyes when his prayer was done. He expected to see his son lying dead on the ground. He expected to hear Shepard swearing, condemning herself. He knew he couldn’t blame her. She had tried to stop him, it wasn’t her fault. But there was a small part of him that would blame her, illogical he knew, but he would never hold it against her. Although he didn’t know if he would still be able to work for her, not because he was blaming her, but because his mind wouldn’t be here, he would have nothing left once he opened his eyes and looked down at his son’s body.

It was an internal struggle not to open his eyes; he wanted to be in the dark. He really didn’t want to see his son’s lifeless body. Just like his wife, now his son. Was this his penance, to watch everyone he cared about die on him? Since all that was left was Shepard, does that mean she was going to be taken from him soon too? Did this mean they weren’t going to survive the attack on the Collectors base?

Taking a deep fortifying breath, bracing himself for the sight he knew that was before him, he opened his eyes slowly. A gasp left him, his hands quivered by his sides as his eyes widened in wonder and fear.

Both stood there as if they were the only ones in the room. Shepard blue glow was diminishing, Kolyat held both of her hands in his larger ones, a small smile on his face. He didn’t look to be in pain, quite the opposite actually. Thane wasn’t sure what he thought about this. It had nothing to do with Shepard, but the life that his son would have with her if they were together. Kolyat’s life would be so much like his mother’s, the worry, the fear and the loneliness eventually leading to anger and bitterness. He didn’t want that for his son, plus with the request his son ask of him, he wasn’t sure if it would be possible to evade it now. Kolyat wanted to stay on the ship. He wanted to try and make their relationship work and if that meant he had to be on the ship, then that was what his son wanted.

Thane had tried to talk him out of it. Living on this ship wasn’t safe. Some of the crew would always be challenging him, testing him. Then there was Cerberus, he didn’t want his son mixed up with that, nor did he want him mixed up with Miranda. That woman, Thane didn’t trust, there was something about her that rubbed Thane the wrong way.

Thane turned his attention back to his son and Shepard. They were barely inches apart; his son was holding her tenderly. Reminding Thane of a time when he would hold Irikah like that, at times like this, he missed his wife. The closeness they shared. For a very short time he thought about pursuing Shepard, but when she rejected him, he realized it would never work; he didn’t have those types of feelings for her.  

He focused on Shepard, fear, anger and something else that had nothing to do with tenderness was easily read from her. She stood there rigidly as his son touched her and he knew he had nothing to worry about. Now he felt sorry for his son, Kolyat’s emotions were plain to see and they weren’t the same as the Commander’s.

Shepard sighed, a look of relief on her face as she stepped back from him. Kolyat stood there stunned for a moment, “What just happened?” he asked, his voice clear with no hint of pain.

“You took my overload. No one has ever been able to do that.” She answered quietly, her voice sounding hollow. A deep sadness entered her eyes as she looked at Kolyat. Thane looked at her in shock that she wasn’t hiding her emotions, but he also noticed that she here she was deep in her memories. He lightly touched his son’s shoulder and nodded towards the door. He needed to talk with Shepard in private. He hoped that this time she would answer his questions.

Kolyat nodded in confusion, but he knew something more was going on than what was said. The Commander looked like she was close to tears as she turned her back to them. He wanted to go to her and find out what was wrong. It bothered him seeing this strong woman brought to this. Without argument, he left his father with Shepard. He headed to the Mess Hall, worry for a woman he just met confusing him. He glanced up when someone cleared there throat. The Turian he seen when he came onboard sat with a plate of food in front of him. He was regarding Kolyat curiously as he stood there looking lost. The sarcastic veneer Garrus saw when the kid walked onto the ship was gone. He wondered what happened to place that look on the kid’s face.

“Why aren’t you with your father?” The Turian asked, Kolyat remembered his name was Garrus.

“He asked me to leave the Commander’s room; he wished to talk to Shepard alone.” Kolyat answered him. He wasn’t going to elaborate, he didn’t feel comfortable enough. Garrus’ brow ridge rose at this information, _what in the spirits were they doing up there of all places?_ He thought curiously. It was well known that she didn’t like people going up there. That was her safe haven especially when she was overloaded.

“Then take a seat, I don’t think your father wanted you to wander around this ship on your own.” Garrus chuckled. He could just imagine Thane’s expression when he found his son meeting up with Jack or a few other crew members.

“What can you tell me about Shepard?” Kolyat asked Garrus. He was really curious now after what happened up in her room.

Garrus looked at the man thoughtfully. He wasn’t sure what he was looking for, so he decided to answer the question with information that everyone knew. Since he was on the ship he should know this information too. “She is one of the most powerful biotics you will ever meet. I haven’t met many Asari’s as powerful as her, except Matriarchs. She’s loyal, will put her life before others, she will fight for what she believes in. One last thing, don’t piss her off. When she says she doesn’t wish to talk, leave her alone.” Garrus explained to him, the warning clear in his voice.

“How long have you known her?” Kolyat asked.

“Since we went after Saren, I joined her crew then. We became friends way back then, had each other’s back constantly.” He answered nonchalantly, with a turian smile, remembering the good old days

“Rumor has it that Shepard talked Saren into shoot himself, is that true?” he asked, since Garrus seemed so talkative.

“Yes, she made him see the error of his ways. To help her, he killed himself.” Garrus smirked shaking his head.

“So how did she get to be so powerful a biotic?” he asked. He knew he asked the wrong question when Garrus’ face closed off. “Sorry shouldn’t have asked, I thought it was some easy answer.” Kolyat muttered.

“No, it’s not an easy answer; even I don’t know all of it. Shepard is a very closed off person. She is not one too open herself up to others.” Garrus told him with a sigh. He wasn’t sure why he was telling the drell this, maybe because he was Thane’s son. But there was something about the man that told Garrus it was fine.

                                                                        ~ooooooo~  

Thane walked over to Shepard, he placed a hand hesitantly on her shoulder. He expected pain shooting into him from her biotics, but it was like touching anyone else. For the second time since he knew her, he touched her. She flinched under the contact, but didn’t pull away. He moved in front of her, tilting her chin up to meet his gaze. He looked on in wonder as he saw tears there. “What is it?” he asked softly, using his thumb to brush away the wetness beneath her eyes.

“Don’t worry about it Thane, its nothing important,” she murmured as one the tears trailed down her soft skin. “You should see to your son, take him back onto the Citadel. He shouldn’t be on the ship, it’s not a place for him.”

She jerked herself out of his grasp, her voice held sadness. He wasn’t sure what to do. “Shepard talk to me!” he demanded of her. This involved his son and he had a right to know.

“Thane, leave it…please,” she pleaded, her voice thick with the tears she wouldn’t let fall. He turned from her walking towards the door. The doors hissed opened, but he stepped away quietly and they shut once more. He stood there watching as her shoulders slumped when she thought he was gone. She went to the bed and curled up into a ball as wracking sobs came from her. Her eyes were squeezed shut, as she held a pillow tightly to her.

He couldn’t take it anymore. He was worried, seeing her like this. _What would make a strong woman like Shepard break down like this?_ He thought worriedly. Right now she reminded him of a broken child that had been told devastating news. He went over to her pulling her into his arms as she cried, now that he knew he wouldn’t be harmed. She fought him halfheartedly and then gave up.

Thane thought he knew what was going on, but he wasn’t going to ask. He knew this is the most she had been touch since he met her and he figured for her life time too. He would keep his council on this until she was ready to talk to him. He wanted to hear this from her in case he was wrong.

_He flashed back to the first time he touched her. It was after their first mission together, she had been injured. Not bad enough that she couldn’t walk but she had to have medical attention. Garrus had stayed in the Mess Hall worrying, Thane went into the Chakwas office to have his shoulder looked at as ordered by Shepard._

_What he saw there had horrified him, he had thought better of Mordin and Chakwas. They were patching her without using their hands. They had medical utensils in their hands, fear on their face. They were trying their best not to touch her as if she had a plague. It looked so cold and unfeeling that anger rose in him. This was their commander they were treating this way. Like an object that meant nothing to them._

_He had walked over to them, about to reprimand them for treating her like this. He placed a consoling hand on Shepard’s shoulder. That was the last pleasant thing he remembered. White hot pain lanced through him, he remembered a blinding flash of light in his mind._

_The pain receded leaving him floating in darkness. He thought he was dead, that he was finally going to the sea. He didn’t know how much time past before he stopped floating._

_He awoke to bright lights, two concerned faces looking down at him. They had told him that it was close, they had almost lost him a few times. He could see their shock that he was alive._

 

Slowly he came back to himself as he felt her grab onto him desperately, her nails biting into his skin. “Shepard?” he wanted to know the whole story, what he had figured out wouldn’t cause this much of a breakdown. She wasn’t one of those weeping woman. She was a strong woman, one who always placed herself in danger so others could do their job without harm.

“Thane, even if I told you, you would never understand,” she answered quietly, moving away from him.

“Understand what?” Thane pushed.

“And that is what I will not discuss with you, or anyone else,” she bit out, her anger coming back to her. “Now go and look after your son. And Thane, get him off my ship!” She ordered coldly.

With a sigh Thane left in search of his son.

                                                            ~oooooooo~

Shepard looked down at her hands in wonder, she didn’t know how Thane’s son was able to touch her and still lived. Usually she would go out for the night, find some bad guys and kill them until she was close to passing out. When there wasn’t many, she would kill what she could find and suffer onboard the ship.

She had only been touched by people a few times. The first was when she was young, just before her biotic made themselves known. She was always held, among other types of affection that you do with young children. Then her biotics showed themselves. Her parents, siblings, stopped showing her affections, there was no more hugs, no more kisses on the cheeks or pats on the head, the loving words stopped too. There was nothing, she turned into a stranger to be avoided, to be looked on disdainfully. It wasn’t because she had biotics, but that she always glowed, there was always a glow to her that her family hated.

Then the Alliance got their claws into her, the only one who touched her was the doctor. And that was a ‘maybe’; usually they would let her biotics heal her. Then she had her first boyfriend, he had tried to kiss her…he didn’t make it. Now he lay dead.

After that she avoided any contact. Once, Thane had touched her and he had paid for it. Now his son had grabbed her arm, trying to help her. She thought for sure that he would be dead in a few moments, but that wasn’t what happened. He had absorbed her energy easily, had touched her tenderly not shoving her away as if she was trash, like so many have.

Thane had wanted to know why she reacted the way she had. She just had contact for the first time since her biotics manifested and she knew she never would again. She knew he deserved an answer since it involved his son. So she thought about doing the coward’s way out, but she couldn’t do that. It wasn’t in her to do that and she would hate herself afterwards.

Thane sat across his table from his son. Kolyat sat quietly not knowing what to say, he still felt her energy against his skin. “How is she?” he asked his father quietly.

“I don’t know,” Thane muttered and that was the truth, he was worried.

Kolyat flashed back to her face as he took her energy, it had been filled with wonder as she touched him. When she reached up and touched his face there had been hope and uncertainty. Kolyat broke out of his thought and glanced at his father. His father stared at him in wonder, and that was when Kolyat realized he had spoken out loud.

He was about to say something, but the door to his quarters opened showing Shepard, “Thane, why isn’t he on the Citadel?” she asked, her green eyes slowly turning blue.

“I want to stay on the board. I want to join your crew,” Kolyat stated, moving to stand in front of her.

“No!” she snapped, staring at him coldly. “I want you off of this ship now. If you don’t go on your own volition; I will remove you myself!”

“Shepard, there won’t be any need of that,” Thane stated quickly, intervening before she lost her temper.

“Isn’t there? I gave you an order to get your son onto the Citadel and I find you sitting here chatting? I don’t fucking think so!” she growled angrily.

“Why, won’t you allow me to stay?” Kolyat asked her.

“Why? Because I am Commander of this ship and I say that you cannot stay aboard the ship.” She bit out harshly, taking a threatening step towards him. Her hands glowed blue as her anger rose. Kolyat stood there waiting for her to touch him, he didn’t fear the blue glow. Thane looked on fearfully. He sat on the edge of his seat ready to take action if necessary.

Before anyone could react Kolyat moved lightening quick and grabbed her hand. The blue glow washed over him once again, “I don’t fear your biotics, they don’t harm me.” he sneered down at her.

“Wrong answer!” She said icily shooting her biotics into him. He gasped, his grip on her tightening, but he stood there meeting her eyes with his own. Thane sat there dumbfounded as he watched his son take Shepard’s energy once more. He didn’t understand how he could touch her and not be harmed, yet to anyone else it was a death sentence.

She jerked out of his grasp panting heavily, “Get him off of my ship!” she demanded, her voice had turned lethal, deadly. Her body no longer glowing.

“Kolyat, let’s go.” Thane said stopping his son from doing anything else. He was truly worried now, Shepard may not be able harm him with her biotic but she could harm him other ways.

“We will be leaving by morning,” Shepard said as she watched them walk away. Thane glanced back at her and gave a brief nod. He gave her a pointed look that set her on edge; she knew she would have no choice but to answer his questions.


	3. Chapter 3

The weeks passed slowly and Shepard did everything to avoid Thane. She really didn’t want to have this discussion with him. She did everything she could think of to avoid him - not taking him out on missions, making sure she was in her quarters or CIC. Work all hours of the night and so far it had been working like a charm. Though it was playing havoc with missions, usually she would take both Garrus and Thane or at least one of them with her. Now she was only taking Garrus and pairing him anyone except Thane. The downfall of doing this, was her closest friend was starting to ask questions. If this kept up, then she would have to avoid him too. She didn’t want to, but she couldn’t answer these questions, they were too embarrassing, way to personal.

Garrus was fed up with Shepard avoiding his questions, so he went to the source or what he thought the source of the problem was. He couldn’t figure out what Thane had done to make Shepard behave this way. It wasn’t like her, and it wasn’t like Thane to provoke someone strongly enough. A part of him wanted to avoid this talk and another part of him, the part that was missing his friend needed to do this. It took him longer than it should have to end up in front of Thane’s door, after trying to talk himself out of this many times he finally standing in front of the closed doors.

Thane sat at his table typing out a message to Kolyat. He glanced over his shoulder when Garrus entered. He wasn’t sure whether to be happy for the intrusion or annoyed. Shepard had been avoiding him for the past while; no matter how much he tried to get her alone, she found a way out of it. It was really starting to annoy him. He was thinking about confronting her, glowing hand or not. At the moment he didn’t care. He was worried about her and his son.

“What can I do for you Garrus?” Thane asked, motioning to a seat across from him.

“I’m wondering what happened between you and Shepard?” He muttered. Thane watched Garrus, noticing how uncomfortable he seemed.

“She knows I wish to speak with her and she is avoiding me,” Thane grumbled, he was beyond frustrated now.

“Shepard’s avoiding you? That doesn’t sound like her, usually she meet people head on and doesn’t back down.” Garrus muttered, amused to actually find out that Shepard was running from something. He never thought he would see this day. She was always standoffish, cold and aloof. It took Garrus a long time to become friends with her, but when he had, she was always there when he needed. He was always there for her too, listening as she told him pieces of her past when he ask. He didn’t know all of her past but what he did know gave him a better understand of her. It was sad that she wasn’t comfortable enough to tell him all that happened. He knew there was more; a lot more and not all of it good. For the longest time he learnt that waiting patiently usually worked but he didn’t think that would work this time.  

“I know. It has to do with something that happened with Kolyat. He touched her while her biotics were overloading,” Thane told him quietly. Thane watched with amusement as Garrus’ eyes widened, his mandibles went slack and then a look of utter disbelief came over his face.

“That is not possible. I saw your son walk off the ship healthy,” Garrus stated uncertainly. How the hell was the young drell able to do that? That was Garrus’ first question, his next one was how did that happen? He knew Shepard. He knew she made it a point not to let anyone to accidently brush against her.

“Yes, I know. It’s odd that her biotics didn’t harm him. Afterward, she broke down crying. I tried to find out what caused that to transpire, but she wouldn’t tell me anything.” Thane mumbled tiredly.

Garrus could have told him he wouldn’t find out anything. That was one thing Shepard kept to herself. Anything that had to do with her biotics, she kept better than any locked government secret..

“I had wondered what happened. She hasn’t been the same since we left the Citadel. She has been more distant, colder too. She used to sit in the Main Battery with me for hours, but now she only exchanges orders or brusque messages. I tried talking to her a few times, but she usually has an excuse of some type. So I didn’t push.” Garrus told him tiredly.

“So, what do you think her problem is?” Thane asked him. Praying silently to his gods, that Garrus would have the answers he was looking for. Thane had already figured out part of Shepard’s problem, but there was more to it than that, there had to be.

“Good question, I wish I knew.” Garrus muttered, looking unsure. “Thane, what do you know of her past?” Garrus asked as an idea came to him. The drell seemed to see more than what was going on around him, he had an easier time reading the actions of people; maybe he would be able to piece together the puzzle pieces that Garrus couldn’t. He knew it would only be time before Shepard told Thane since he had finally gained her trust. Only him, Mordin, Grunt and Thane had her full trust, a few others had part of her trust and then there was the two that she wouldn’t mind air-locking.

“I don’t know much. All I know if common knowledge she was raised for most of her life in an Alliance academy for biotics. That she is scary when upset or when she loses control of her biotics. I barely know any personal information of her,” He muttered sadly as he looked down at his hands.

Garrus hadn’t expected him to know more than that. He thought hard about what he was about to do and thought it was for the best. It wasn’t like he was going to give much more away than what was already known of her. “Shepard was raised by her parents until six, and then they transferred her to the Academy, because she was a biotic. I know at a young age she was sent on missions for training. Anything else I know, I would need to talk to Shepard. Some of it is of a sensitive nature and she didn’t tell me until she was good and drunk.” Garrus grumbled, everything else he knew so did Thane.  

Garrus looked at Thane thoughtfully, “Well the only way we are going to find out is by asking her and that won’t be easy.” Garrus sighed. He knew that wouldn’t be easy.

“Getting her alone is impossible. You know that, as well as I do,” Thane commented, giving Garrus a pointed look.

“Well, we could deceive her and have EDI lock the doors, so she can’t escape.” Garrus mentioned with a grin.

EDI came online just then, “I will not lock the door on Shepard, not since her last threat.” She stated abruptly. Both of them raised their brow ridge at EDI’s words. _What had Shepard done for her to cut in like that? She almost sounded desperate._ Thane thought to himself, he could see that Garrus was having the same thought.

“Well then, we will have to come up with something else.” Thane said thoughtfully, an idea forming in his mind. It was childish he knew, and showed how desperate he was. Anything else he could think of would harm either himself or Shepard and he didn’t want that.

“Thane, what are you thinking?” Garrus asked cautiously, it wasn’t very often he saw any type of emotion from him so when that look came over the Drell’s face it made him pause. To be honest he wasn’t even sure what the look meant.

“We don’t have to lock her in, but we could take the coffee machine hostage,” Thane smirked, he couldn’t believe that he was actually suggesting this, it was so beneath him, but seeing the look on Garrus’ face actually made it worth his while.

Garrus burst out laughing. He never thought he would hear Thane making a suggestion like that. He was so stoic most of the times, but there were times like these, that he actually let loose.

“Go ahead, this I have to see. Though I don’t think it will work.” Garrus grinned still chuckling. He watched as Thane rose to his feet gracefully.

“You’ve seen how she reacts to her mug of coffee.” Thane said pointedly, a small smile on his lips. He was still shocked that he was going to do this childish prank.

“Hmm, yes, I know. That was the talk of the ship for a while.” Garrus mumbled with amusement. They both walked out of Thane’s quarters and headed over to Gardener. Garrus stood there waiting patiently as Thane told Gardener his idea. It didn’t take long until they had the coffee and coffeepot in their care with Gardener’s laughter following them back to Life Support.

“I hope you realize; we’re playing with our lives right now?” Garrus grumbled uncertainly.

“That is why I was going to ask you to stay,” Thane murmured with a smirk that didn’t sit well with Garrus.

“Fine, but if she cries, I’m leaving you on your own. I don’t do crying Shepard. I didn’t even know it was possible for her to cry.” He stated, his eyes narrowing into warning slits.

“Fine,” They shook sealing the deal, both taking a seat and waiting for the wrath of Shepard.

They weren’t sure how long they had waited, but they knew second shift was on now. Usually by now Shepard would be grabbing another mug of coffee. They both glanced at each other nervously when she hadn’t shown up by now. Thane thought about bring the coffeepot and the coffee back, but that was until he heard his door open.

Shepard stormed into Thane’s room without notice as she usually did. She was shocked to find out that they had stooped so low as to take her coffee and coffeepot. She hesitated when she saw Thane sitting there, for a split second she thought she saw someone else, someone she never wanted to see again. Taking a deep breath she shot a harmless barrier over Garrus and grabbed the coffeepot and coffee. She didn’t run for the door but it was close. The doors closed behind her and she let out the breath she had been holding as she leaned up against the wall. Her hands burned hot, she didn’t need to look to see that they were glowing.

Ever since Kolyat had touched her, her emotions had been in turmoil. She didn’t miss him, but she missed being touched. She knew she had to get a hold of herself, those thoughts were dangerous. _Why did this have to happen now? Why did Kolyat have to touch her?_ She thought those questions many times now.

Thane wanted to intercede, but knew he would have pushed his luck and could have been hurt badly. He saw her glowing hands, the anger and confusion in her eyes.

Garrus released a breath when the barrier disappeared, “Well that didn’t go as planned.” He muttered sarcastically. “Any other bright ideas?”

“Confront her in front of everyone?” Thane muttered, he didn’t like the idea, but he was pretty sure that was what it would take.

“Did you notice how she hesitated when she saw you?” Garrus ask him thoughtfully. He had noticed, at first there had been shock for a brief moment, then relief when she noticed it was Thane. For a brief second when the doors opened, he could have sworn he saw hope flair in her eyes when she looked at the back of Thane’s head.

“No, I was paying more attention to the glowing blue hands,” Thane answered snidely. “Why do you ask?” He listened intently as Garrus told him what he noticed. He wasn’t sure how he felt about her reactions; he knew it wasn’t for him, but for Kolyat. His intuition told him more was going on here than he knew about. In Kolyat’s letters he always asked about the Commander.

“You’ve thought of something,” Garrus asked him quietly.

“Yes. I think Kolyat was who she thought she saw for a moment,” he answered hoarsely.

“Uh, Thane, I highly doubt that it is in the way you’re thinking. Shepard doesn’t date. She has no interest in people that way.” Garrus told him firmly.

“How do you know this?” he asked in a rapid fire way.

Garrus sighed, running his hand along the back of his head. He was about to break trust with his closest friend, but right now Thane was scared for his son. He needed to know this.

“After Shepard biotics manifested no one would touch her. The Alliance forced her to join and they did something’s in there teachings to her. No one could lay a hand on her due to her biotics. She has never had a lover, or a significant other. There was only once whens she decided to have what humans’ call a boyfriend. Something happened between the two of them and he died. Ever since then she has shut off that side of herself. She will never do anything of that nature with your son.” Garrus told him quietly leaving out a lot. Thane didn’t need to know the rest. Garrus knew for a fact that Shepard would never do anything intimate with any male. Not ever.

Thane stared at him unsure what to say. It explained why she broke down as she did. For the first time in he didn’t know how long, she was able to feel the touch of another without fear. Everything made a little more sense as to why she was avoiding him, why she didn’t want to tell him.

“EDI, let Shepard know I am requesting to see my son,” Thane told the computer.

“Shepard stated that we will be heading to the Citadel to restock after the next mission,” EDI answered before blinking out.

“What is your plan?” Garrus asked him curiously.

“I’m going to visit my son.” Thane answered with a small smile. He knew that was why she wanted Kolyat off the ship right away... she was scared, and a scared Shepard was not good. Thane had a plan and he hoped it work for his son and Shepard.

“That’s it?” Garrus asked, his eyes intent as he watched Thane. He knew there was more to it than what he said. Thane didn’t answer him; all he got was a blank expression. If it was going to help Shepard, then he wouldn’t step in the way. But if Thane did something that harmed her, he would find out what is so terrifying about Turian in blood lust.

“If you say so,” Garrus muttered when Thane didn’t answer. He stood from his seat since there wasn’t any left keeping him here. “I should return to the main battery.” He sighed wishing that Thane would be more open.

                                                            ~ooooooooo~

Kolyat sat on his couch reading his father letter. He was shocked that he received two messages from him in the same day. Once again there was no mention of Shepard in the messages, even though he asked about her in ever message he sends.

He really didn’t want to talk to his father, but Shepard had asked him to listen. So here he was going against his anger, his frustration and talking to a man that he couldn’t stand. After he received the first message from his father he sent a message to Shepard. He was surprised that she answered, she told him to give his father a chance, and talk to him.

After years of living without his father, not knowing where he was or if he even cared, the man just walked back into his life. Kolyat hated it. He hated the fact that he had to talk to him. He hated the fact that his father was onboard the Normandy and he was stuck here. He hated that his father left his mother so often and made her cry. He knew now that his father hadn’t meant to make his mother cry, but that was what happened.

He reread the message, he wasn’t sure what to think of it. His father was coming to see him. He didn’t want his father here of all places. This was his home, this is the last place he wanted his father. But he knew he had no choice, his father was coming to see him.

Kolyat hoped that he brought Shepard with him. He wanted to see her again, he enjoyed her company. He was intrigued with her and also worried. He wondered how her overloads as his father called them were doing. He remembered seeing his father fear and actually took a small amount of pleasure in it. But he also remembered the look on Shepard’s face, that one look brought him a different pleasure.

With a sigh he wrote his father back, letting him know that he would meet him at his apartment. Kolyat didn’t like it, but it was the best he could do. He didn’t want to see his father in public where there was the possibility they would make a scene if things got out of hand. His mother raised him better than that and he wasn’t a child anymore, he was a grown man.

                                                                        ~oooooooo~

Shepard stood in front of the map not wanting to plot out the course for the Citadel. She wanted to keep doing mission, it kept her busy, so she didn’t dwell on things couldn’t experience again. Plus it was so much easier to avoid Thane on mission. She let a small smile crease her mouth when she thought of Garrus and Thane stealing the coffeepot so she would talk to them. That was the most desperate act she’d ever seen. For a few moments afterwards she actually thought about telling them but it was too humiliating to talk about.

She made the changes to the course, “Shepard, are you sure you want to change courses now?” Joker asked her when she stood behind him after plotting the new heading.

“Yeah, I am sure. Take us to the Citadel. Thane needs to see his son and the rest of the crew needs shore leave.” She told him.

“We’ll be there by morning,” Joker told her. He glanced over his shoulder giving her an odd look. She wasn’t one to change plans. She kept to her schedule, and god forbid anyone for messing it up. Now here she was changing it, something was going on and he planned on finding out.

Joker watched her leave, waiting until she was out of earshot. “EDI, patch me through to Garrus,” he asked, the annoyance that was always watching him.

“What do you want Joker,” Garrus’ voice grumbled through the comm.

“Why would Shepard change her schedule all of a sudden and head to the Citadel?” he asked with a grin. Silence met his question peaking Joker’s curiosity more. His brow rose when Garrus cut off communication all of a sudden.

Garrus and Thane stared at each other stunned, both wondering why Shepard changed her plans all of a sudden.


	4. Chapter 4

The Citadel was busy as usual; Shepard went straight for the stores as soon as the ship was docked. Then she planned on going to any bar she could find and getting wasted. She knew getting drunk was a stupid move on her part, but at the moment she didn’t care. She wanted to feel human for a while not a freak.

She walked past the security area and headed to the C-Sec offices. Bailey sat behind his desk glaring at her as she neared. He didn’t appreciate how she worked. She helped Garrus and people died, but there had been no witnesses, yet she helped her assassin and everyone watched her kill the Politian. She was what gave humans a bad name. Other than that he had no problems with her. His only problem was he didn’t like that she was allowed killing how she pleased and walk away without consequences.

Shepard scowled at him, silently challenging him to do his worst. To be honest she didn’t care what he thought of her, not anymore. She forced herself to close off those insecure emotion she had felt when Kolyat was able to touch her. They brought nothing but pain, she would be going through enough pain when she died going against the Collectors; she didn’t need a preview.

Thane, Garrus and Tali were right behind her, everyone ready to go their separate way when they got through the security part of things. She saw a young kid sitting at a desk not far away, Bailey looking over his shoulder never once taking his eyes off of her. “Shepard, I hope there won’t be any killing this time?” he asked coldly.

“I’m not promising anything,” Shepard smirked giving him a cold look.

“Figured you’d say that!” he grumbled, there was nothing he could say to stop her. She was on the Councils payroll not his.

 

Thane headed for his son’s apartment, Shepard went to head in the opposite direction than others, but Garrus decided to stay with her. She didn’t want company, or friends around her right now, not since she found out it was so easy to get through shields that she put in place over years. She glared at Garrus for following her, but she couldn’t bring herself to ask him to leave her alone.

She knew Thane was bringing his kid onto the ship for their visit. She had to start thinking of him as a kid, which was all he was. She couldn’t think of him as anything else or she would start wanting to feel his touch again, just for the contact. She didn’t feel lust anymore. After years of training she had lost that ability. When her boyfriend died, she went looking for help. She had told a few doctors of her problem. They gave her pills that would change her body chemistry so it didn’t produce those pheromones anymore. But she had to take substitute pills for that too.

Thane sat in a chair across from his son, he watched the young man closely. “I noticed in most of your notes you always ask about Shepard,” Thane commented, watching closely for his reaction. Kolyat raised his eyes to his father without flinching. Ever since he met the Commander, his night had become delightfully hellish, but he wished he could get more rest than what he had been getting. Erotic dreams that left him wanting more, some morning would find him sated, but a huge mess he would have to clean up.

“Is that a problem?” Kolyat asked his father coldly.

“No, I am merely curious as to why,” Thane shrugged, but he already had his answer. His son was lusting after Shepard, or so he thought until his son smiled. A smile he hadn’t seen in years. A smile he would see in the mirror on his own face when he thought about Irikah. He wasn’t sure what to make of this. Shepard wasn’t someone you had a romance with, she was someone you feared, sure she was good looking. Any male thought so, but she wasn’t one to joke around very much, she was always so serious. Even with his stoicism, he had a sense of humor, but he rarely seen Shepard’s and didn’t want to see his son hurt. Plus there was also what he knew of her past, that wasn’t something for his son to get involved with. He was young, too young for those types of problems.

Shepard sat in a booth in the back of the bar finally alone. Garrus had left her a few hours ago. She nursed the drink she had ordered a few hours ago; she couldn’t bring herself to drink the stuff. It just didn’t sit well with her. She glanced down at her hands and wasn’t surprised to see they were glowing once more. The past week had been brutal, she couldn’t fight, and she couldn’t use her biotics, so there had been quite a few close calls. Actually if you asked Garrus, he would have given a questioning look at her use of ‘close’. He went flying across a room once too often for hers and his liking, but he was the only one willing to try and help her. With a sigh Shepard paid for her drink and headed for the Normandy.

Back on the Normandy the ground team, including Kolyat were sitting in the Mess Hall, all having returned from their shopping. “I hope the Commander finds some way to get her biotics under control.” Jacob grumbled.

“Why, what happened?” Kolyat asked curiously.

“Well let’s see, Garrus, has went fly across the room, I’ve been lifted off the ground. Grunt has been shoved off to the side with ease. One of these times some is going to be very hurt.” Jacob bit out, scowling the whole time.

“Don’t forget about Donnelly, he reached out his hand and touched her, trying to stop her so he could talk to her. He is still in Med Bay,” Zaeed muttered with a worried look.

“Why, I’ve touched her and had no ill effects,” Kolyat muttered, looking at them confused.

Utensils were dropped as everyone swung there attention towards him, “What do you mean you were able to touch her?” Zaeed asked him gruffly. Everyone here, including him had heard stories of the Commander. He knew not to touch her, he’d seen firsthand what happens. When they did his mission to go after Vido one of the mercs had grabbed Shepard while her hands had been glowing. He remembered hearing Garrus swearing but his attention had been on the merc. His mouth wide open on a soundless scream, blood leaking from his eyes and nose, his body convulsed before falling to the ground in a heap. He stared at the boy hard, there was no way this kid touched her.

“I grabbed her wrist when her hand was glowing blue, it felt amazing actually,” everyone looked at him incredulously, some even looked at him as if he grew a second head.

“Kid, you are the only one who has been able to do that. What do you make of that Mordin?” Zaeed asked the Salarian who never took his attention off of Thane’s kid.

“I think this needs more study. Already found disturbing things from Shepard’s old medical records. Her new one, since Cerberus rebuilt her are better than the old one. Go to my office tomorrow, need to take samples from you.” Mordin stated, eyeing the kid with interest.

“So anyone know where the Commander is?” Jacob asked as he finished off his plate.

“Nope, she left us on the Citadel,” Tali answered slightly concerned. “I noticed her hands have been glowing for the past few weeks, not days.” Kolyat’s eyes widen when he heard gasps and swears fill the room.

“Something I should know about?” A cold voice ask, heads swung around to see Shepard standing not far away, she had a plate in her hands, ready to take a seat. Thane glanced at Shepard’s hands and noticed the glow as did the others. Kolyat looked to her hands as well, his eyes narrowed. Quickly before she could react, he snatched her hand into his. He felt her dark energy wash over him and purred.

The others stared, their mouths gaping. “Kolyat, let go of my hand,” she hissed out, trying to jerk her hand free from his unbreakable grip. Thane wasn’t sure what to do, he thought about telling his son to let her go, but the ebbing glow stopped him. Thane grabbed her plate before she dropped it. He was worried for his son, he wasn’t sure what Shepard would do to him when Kolyat finally let her free. He was shocked that no one jumped to her defense. But in a way he could understand why they didn’t. Most here feared her and her biotics for good reason.

Kolyat stayed in his chair grinning challengingly at Shepard. She narrowed her eyes hating the cockiness of this man. Thane smiled as he watched the two of them. Kolyat took her other hand with a challengingly look.

“Shepard, if he helps you, why don’t you let him do it and save the rest of us,” Jacob grumbled, scowling at her. Shepard turned cold dangerous eyes towards him. It was well known that Shepard hated Cerberus, especially the two lackeys as she calls them. Jacob, because he was so stuck in protocol, and Miranda because she was a walking bitch as Shepard calls her.

“He does have a point, none of us can help you, and most of us are harmed by your biotics. If he can help, let him.” Miranda said looking down her nose at the obstinate Commander. Shepard still didn’t see why they had to put up with her.

Shepard was about to argue with them, then snapped her mouth closed when Garrus looked at her, “Shepard, please.” Was all he said, but it was enough. Thane hid his smile, Kolyat didn’t; he grinned widely.

“Fine you can stay, but if it doesn’t work out, we are coming straight back here and dropping your ass off.” She bit out. “Now let my fucking hand go.”

“No,” he stated. He could still feel her energy pouring over him. His grip tightened on her hand when she tried to yank it again. He smiled smugly at her, setting her teeth on edge. She hooked her foot on the leg of his chair, flipping it back. He caught both of her arms pulling her down with him.

She landed on his chest with a grunt as he chuckled. Kolyat leaned forward so his mouth was against her ear, “If you wanted me that badly, all you had to do was ask,” he murmured, his voice filled mirth.

“Thane, I’ll see you at the funeral,” Jacob said as he watched Kolyat take that Commander down with him and whisper something none of them could hear, or so he thought until Garrus snorted and Thane shook his head.

“Thane, you do realize that she is going to hurt him?” Garrus asked him when he heard what the young drell said. He tried to hide his amusement but it was impossible, Shepard had finally met her match.

“I don’t think she will have an easy time with it,” Thane murmured, thoughtfully as he watched the two, Shepard was spitting mad, Kolyat was laughing at her.

Shepard’s glared down at him, she allowed her biotics to wash over her. Her body burning with it, she turned burning bright blue eyes to Kolyat, he watched her passively, not worried at all. “Let go of my hands or I finish this!” she hissed, her face inches from his. The thought of leaning up and kissing her crossed his mind, but he knew that would be a stupid mistake.

The others at the table watched nervously as the Commander body glowed blue. Some swallowed nervously, while Garrus and Thane watched the exchange. They noticed Kolyat’s interest in the Commander, it wasn’t hard not to notice actually. He made no secret of it. She was pissed, but there wasn’t really a reason for her to be so pissed off. Thane and Garrus shared a knowing glance. They smirked, waiting to see where this would end up. Thane relaxed in his chair as he contemplated the complications of a relationship between the two of them. He could see Kolyat could handle her, he saw through her façade to the human. The way he held her was tenderly, yet firmly making sure she didn’t escape.

“Do you worst,” he taunted. She hissed thrusting that energy into him, he hissed, his back arching almost throwing her off. His hands clamped around hers like a bruising vice as he bit his lip so he didn’t moan. He wasn’t sure if it was extreme pleasure or pleasurable pain. But whatever it was, he didn’t want it to stop.

Thane watched his son, not sure what he should do before his son embarrassed himself. Shepard growled in frustration when her retaliation wasn’t working the way she wanted. She forced that energy back, shoved it away as she had been trained, what usually was a struggle for her, this time it went away with an ease she never knew.

Shepard sighed, sitting up on the drell so that she was straddling his waist. He watched her with amusement and ebony eyes that pierced right through her. She felt a twinge in her lower stomach and looked at him oddly. This was something she never experienced before and wasn’t sure what caused it. Kolyat let her hands go slowly, she took her escaped, clambering to her feet ungracefully, but at the moment she didn’t care.

Kolyat watched her with amusement, as she raced to get off of him and to her feet. He had seen a flickering of passion in her eyes, then she saw confusion, uncertainty then finally fear. That was when he figured out that she was a virgin. It amazed him that someone this beautiful could be a virgin. But he knew about her problem and that explained it. So he assumed she had never felt pleasure of any type and felt sorry for her that she never had a chance.

Shepard raced to her room hiding away from Kolyat, she still didn’t know what the hell happened down there and wasn’t sure about it. She paced the area of her room, grabbing what she could then throwing it. “Shepard is everything alright?” EDI asked.

“Oh, yeah, just fucking peachy!” she shouted, throwing a data pad at EDI’s orb.

“I have contacted Dr. Solis,” EDI stated with what seemed to amusement.

Mordin was just rising from the table when the call to go to Shepard’s room came over the comm. He glanced at the others taking amusement as their eyes widened. They knew her tempter the same as him, they knew within the next few moments her room would be trashed. Garrus chuckled, Thane finally broke a smile, glancing at his son as he took a seat at the table.

“She’s going to be more upset when I give her the news,” Mordin smiled, grabbing Shepard plate and ready to bring it with him to her room.

“What news is that?” Jacob asked, curiously, he scowled as the doctor scowled at him. He hated that there was information Cerberus didn’t have. There were sections of Shepard medical file that were so classified that the best hackers couldn’t open them.

“He’s talking about the treatment Shepard went under when she was younger. Shortly after she murdered her boyfriend,” Miranda answered scathingly. She ignored the glower from Mordin or the belligerent looks form the two drell or the Turian. With a sneering smile she continued, giving away Shepard’s deepest secret, “She had a physician stop all hormonal reactions of her body, so that she didn’t feel the ‘need’ of the body.” Miranda answered them. She got glares from around the table, no one was impressed that she would share that. It explained a lot, but most felt sick knowing that information.

“Hey cheerleader, I thought I was the bitch of the bunch, when Shepard wasn’t around, but you put me to shame. Who gave you the fucking right to share that?” Jack stormed glaring that the Cerberus woman.

“She’s right Miranda,” Jacob said with disgust. She didn’t say a word as she left the table, Mordin walked over to the elevators his eyes never leaving Miranda’s back as she went to her quarters. He would have to check a few things out, then maybe they would have her out their hair, was his thoughts.

“So Thane, do you think your son can handle Shepard?” Jack asked with a sly grin. Trying to lighten the dark mood that descended after the bitch had her say.

“I don’t think he’ll have a problem,” Thane smiled. His smile turned to shock as everyone at the table started placing bet. Kolyat was laughing as he watched this. He wasn’t sure what to make of it. Some were practically setting him up with Shepard. Other said he didn’t have a chance, and then there were those bets that made him blush. That all him and Shepard would be was bed buddies and nothing else.  

Thane listened to the bets, he already knew which would be winning but he knew his son had a long trial ahead of him. He wasn’t sure if his son was ready for that, he was still young and Shepard wasn’t an easy person.

                                                            ~oooooooooo~

Mordin stepped into Shepard room rehearsing what he was going to say on his way up here. Shepard looked up at him as she was cleaning up the mess she had made from throwing things. Mordin hid his smirk as he walked further into the room. He quirked a brow noticing the mess wasn’t as bad as it normally was when she was pissed. Thought it said something about that she would clean it up, when she could have easily asked the cleaning crew to do it.

“What is it Mordin?” she asked quietly. He could see confusion, uncertainty and frustration there. If anyone else had looked they would see anger or a closed off look. But he spent years ready people, it didn’t matter the race something’s were just there to read if you knew what to look for.

“Have news you need to know,” he muttered, not sure how to say this without getting himself killed. He glanced quickly at her hands and noticed they looked normal.

“Mordin, just spit it out,” she grumbled, sending a glare at him.

“Looked up medical file of your system before you died, compared it to your system now. All hormones in your body are functioning properly.” He said in his quick fire manner.

She hesitated for a moment, her eyes widening when it register what he had said. “You’re saying that I will feel lust again?” she asked hesitantly, not blushing at the words. He was impressed; he was under the impression, human maidens where bashful with this type of talk.

“Yes, you’ll feel your bodies desires, you’ll be starting your menstruations soon, now that your body is almost fully healed from being brought from dead. I will not put your hormones dormant, so don’t ask.” He stated firmly.

“Please. I know nothing about that stuff and it’s not like I will be having sex, so why should I suffer through all that, when I can’t do it?” she asked tiredly. She had a point if it was true, but there was the young drell. He knew not to point that out yet, maybe later but he would have to see how that goes.

“No, I will not take that away from you. Have information if you wish to read them over.

“Fine I’ll figure out how to deal with it,” she shrugged.

“Can send you information about that for you to read,” he stated and wondered if anyone ever taught her anything on that nature. He didn’t think so. Well he would do what he could to help her and if she had questions he would take the time to answer them.

“Mordin, thanks for coming to tell me,” she smiled sadly. He took that as his cue to leave.

Shepard sat on her bed stunned, she didn’t know what to do now. She was going to go through all that torture all over again. Her body’s needs never being met because she couldn’t touch anyone. The one person she could touch at the moment she wanted dead.

~oooo~

Kolyat sat in his father’s room reading a book; he wondered where he would be sleeping. There were no more beds in the crew quarters, his father’s room only had on bed in it. Well he would probably find out soon enough or so he hoped.

The doors to his father room opened, his father and Garrus walked in with a cot, each of them holding up an end. He moved out of the way so they could place it. You could still get to the widow and it wasn’t blocking anything important that he knew of.

“The three of us will go to your apartment and pick up with you want to bring with you.” Thane told his son. They glanced at the door as another guy walked in carrying a trunk. Kolyat moved over to him taking the trunk from him and placed it beneath my bed.

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

The weeks passed by slowly for Shepard, too slowly if you asked her. She wanted Thane’s son dead in the worst possible way. He was starting annoy her, that the thought of air locking him was becoming one of her best fantasies.  
“Shepard, Kolyat wish entry,” EDI stated. Figures, get one moment to relax and he shows up, she sneered.   
“Tell him to jump out of the airlock,” Shepard retorted, a scowling marring her face. The orb didn’t disappear as she wished. With an aggravated sigh, “Allow him entrance.”  
Kolyat walked in with a smug smile, “Jump out of the airlock?” he chuckled as he walked in, “then who would help you?” he asked with a raised brow ridge.   
“I was just doing fine before you showed!” she snapped coldly. He leaned his hip against the edge of her desk, watching her with amusement. She sighed, feeling like a fool for acting childish, but he brought out the worst in her. “So what do you want?” she tried to ask calmly, but there was still a bite to her words.   
“Were you?” he looked at her doubtfully. “It seems before I came, that your crew was afraid of your lack of control,” He murmured, moving closer to her with a mocking grin. He leaned close his voice turning into a purr, “though there is one benefit for you…” he trailed off, lightly running a finger down her arm. He could feel her muscles tightening not to react as she sat ramrod straight in her chair. “You can feel another’s touch.”  
Shepard fought not to flinch, she focused hard on the computer screen in front of her ignoring the shiver than ran through her body, or the heat that was building. They were new and she didn’t trust these emotions. She fisted her hands tightly on the arms of the chair, her nails biting into the leather material. She fought her energy and her reaction, she hated both feelings. She knew if he saw that her energy wasn’t under control again, he would have to touch her and that would make her other problem so much worse. She didn’t understand it fully, and it scared her. The great Commander Shepard scared of her body, now that was a joke. It was so disgusting.  
He was about to move away from her but a blue glow caught his eyes. He watch as she fought for control as her hands glowed brighter. She glanced up and saw where he was staring; quickly she snatched her hands off the arm of the chair and clutched them tightly in her lap, her nails biting into her skin drawing blood.   
He went to reach for her hand, but she shook her head violently. He sighed, not sure what to do. He could force her, but that wouldn’t be prudent. The last time he used force to take her hand he found himself landing on his back a few feet away, not from biotic, but from a well place punch and a kick that hurt like hell.   
Kolyat back off a bit, when he saw many emotions rush across her face, one of them being fear. He never meant for her to fear him. He had wanted to get through the walls she had built to protect herself, he wanted to show her everything she had been missing. But what kept him in the room instead of leaving her alone, was for a moment he had seen desire, and yearning. Those two emotions were what kept him here, making him push for more.   
She rose from her seat abruptly moving over to the sitting area well away from him. He grinned moving over to her. She watched him warily as he neared. She didn’t know what he had planned, but the look in his eyes she wasn’t too sure about. He invaded her personal space, barely leaving room between them, what stopped her from moving back was he didn’t touch her.   
He moved so he was behind her, making sure his body was as close as he could get without touching her. He dropped his voice down to a purr, “don’t you want to feel someone’s touch on your skin?” he whispered as he lightly trailed his hand down her arm. “Or to feel someone’s body near yours?” he whispered, hiding the reaction of his own body that the shiver from her had caused. He lightly moved her hair aside as she stood there shaking. That gave him pause, he turned her towards him. Over the past few weeks he had tried taking his time with her, but nothing had helped.   
Kolyat looked down at her, her eyes were wide with fear and hope. He leaned down to her, “Or, feel another’s mouth on yours?” he breathed against her mouth, brushing a light kiss.   
“What do you want?” Shepard asked, her voice breathless even to her ears.   
“Your hand, so I can take your energy,” he smirked, allowing her regain her footing, but he had the answer he was looking for. She glowered at him, taking his offered hand when he stepped back giving her the space that she needed.   
She sighed as she felt the energy slowly leave her. She let herself revel in that feeling, ignoring the person in front of her. She sighed as she felt his arms close around her, without allowing herself to think about it, she lay her head on his chest as their hand stayed clasped.  
Kolyat smirked as he stood there holding her, trying nothing else. He slowly let her hands go expecting her to shove him away or for her to move away abruptly. He was surprised as he felt her arms go around his waist. He purred his pleasure, his hold on her tightening as he rested his head on top of hers.   
She wasn’t sure what made her want to do this, but she wasn’t fighting it this time; though if he pushed his luck, he would be hurting. She hated to admit this but she had needed this, being held by some else so she could just relax for a few moments and not have to worry about anything else.   
She wasn’t sure how long she stood holding him before she took a step back. He wasn’t doing his normal smirk, or his normal challenging look, instead there was tenderness and understanding. She wanted to be mad at both of those looks, but couldn’t find it in her at the moment.   
“So why did you really come up here?” she mumbled in his chest.   
“My… Thane wants to see you. I decided to bring the message to you, since you’ve been avoiding me and I know that you would be having problems by now.” He murmured with amusement.  
“Thane….?” She raised a brow with a pointed look. He dropped his gazes away from her, he didn’t want her to see the emotion in them. Yes he hated his father, but he also missed him. Even though they both shared the same room meant nothing, Kolyat was keeping him at a distance. He didn’t want to be hurt again or have his world torn apart once more. “Still pissed at him,” she commented when she saw the play of emotions across his face.   
“Do you blame me? He left me and mother! I watched my mother cry when she thought she was alone.” He spat angrily.   
“Trust me, I understand better than you think,” she muttered, stepping out of his arms. “But you have to remember he did that because he thought the both of you would be safer.”   
“Safer? My mother died because of his enemies!” he nearly shouted.   
“Yes she did. And because of that, your father has suffered just as much as you have.” She told him. He turned a scowl at her, but she wasn’t focused on him anymore, she was remembering something from her past. “Be thankful you have a family who loved you.” She went to walk out, but Kolyat stopped her.   
“What happened with your parents?” he asked.   
“They found out I had biotics that were unstable, moved me into the Cargo Hold where I couldn’t harm anyone. Awhile later, people in uniforms came and got me. They weren’t there to say bye or anything. I’ve never saw them again.” She bit out and then shrugged it off as if it was no big deal.  
Kolyat stared horrified, as he took her hand once more, “I’m sorry,” he murmured.   
“Don’t be sorry, I’m not.” She stated, taking her hand out of his and headed for the elevator.  
He followed her as she left her quarters, both of them silent instead of the usual jibes. She ignored him as they both exited the elevator, her going straight to his father, while he went and grabbed himself some coffee.   
Shepard walked into Thane’s room, he sat at in his usual chair, his head bowed. She could see the tension in his shoulders and back. That alone told her something was bothering him. She took a seat across from him, “How are you doing?” she asked, snapping him out of his thoughts.   
“Shepard, I take it Kolyat gave you my message,” he nodded pleased. “I wanted to talk to you about him.” he said softly, his eyes troubled as he looked at her.  
“What is it?” she asked. It wasn’t like him to show this amount of emotion.   
“Having Kolyat stay in here is putting strain on our relationship,” he told her.   
“I’d love to help you, but there isn’t any other place for him to stay. Unless you want to help me airlock Miranda?” she offered with a small smile.   
Thane smiled, glad to see that she was lightening up. He knew what the change was, but he also knew she would never admit to it. “So what is the problem between you and Kolyat?” she asked seriously, the smile that once had been there disappeared. Thane was worried about answering, he knew Shepard was only looking for an excuse to het his son off the ship, but Thane didn’t want that. What he and his son needed was space. They shared the same room, so that meant they always saw each other. Kolyat didn’t have anywhere to go where he can be away from him.   
“He needs a place where he can have time away from the stress between us,” Thane told her. He watched her expression closely. Her eyes were guarded, closed off. Thane feared what her next words would be.   
“You have a suggestion?” she asked cautiously.   
“No, I don’t. I was hoping you might have one, that doesn’t involve my son leaving the ship,” Thane stated, he readied himself for the anger that usually would come.   
“Well that limits my option,” She muttered scowling at him. Shepard sat there tapping her fingers on the metal table as she tried to come up with a plan. The only one that she could come up with irked her. She really didn’t want to have that as an option but it wasn’t like there was much choice. She thought about having him work with Garrus, but that would frustrate Garrus to no end, so that was out. Then she thought of other crew members and none of that seemed plausible. Jack, Grunt and Zaeed would kill him for being an annoyance. Samara would bore him with her meditations, Kusami would take him under her wing and they didn’t need another thief on board. Tali didn’t have time, and the Cerberus twins she wouldn’t trust with him. So that left one option…   
She looked at Thane, her eyes narrowing in frustration and aggravation, “I hope you realize you owe me big time for what I am about to suggest.” She stated, trying to smile and lighten the dour mood in the room. When that didn’t work she continued, “I am only suggesting it because you are a friend.” She grumbled, Thane and Garrus were what she considered friends and she always went out of her way to help her friends.   
He looked at her expectantly, worried about what she was going to suggest. She sighed, giving him another glare, “he can stay up in my quarters during the day, but at night, his ass is back down here!” she stated.   
His eyes widened, he wasn’t sure he heard right. He didn’t know what to say. She sat there waiting for him to say something, but silence descended as Thane stared at her stunned. Slowly he nodded his head, unable to speak at the moment. This was a huge step for her. He knew that. There was only a select few that were allowed in her room – Garrus and himself. His son, but that was only to help her with her problem, but he didn’t have the open door policy they had.   
“There is one stipulation, your son better have a coffee in his hand when he enters my room,” she smirked. Without another word she left Thane’s room, for the first time in a while she found amusement in something.   
“So what did my father want?” Kolyat asked as he passed her a mug of coffee. He smirked when he saw her eyes widened as she accepted the steaming mug.   
“He wanted to know how many different ways I came up with for killing you,” She told her, keeping her face dead serious.   
“Now, why don’t I believe that?” Kolyat asked smugly as he leaned against the wall near her.   
“I don’t have a clue, it’s no secret I want you dead.” She shrugged nonchalantly hiding her smirked as his eyes narrowed.   
“I still don’t believe you,” Kolyat grinned. He was learning how to read her and knew she wasn’t serious. It was amusing to see this side of her. Most would think she was dead serious, but he knew better.   
The door to Thane’s room opened, Thane stood in the doorway looking at the two of them questioning. “So did you want to give your son the news, or do you want me to?” Shepard asked with a winged brow.   
“You may, if you wish,” Thane told her. He watched her, unsure what she was about to do.   
“Your father finally gave me permission to air lock you if get on my nerves.” Shepard told him with a straight face. Kolyat turned to his father, expecting him to refute what Shepard said.   
“It is her ship,” Thane answered his son’s questioning look with an elegant shrug. He kept the laughter out of his voice, plus the shock. It wasn’t easy, but the look on his son’s face was well worth the effort. Kolyat turned back to Shepard his eyes narrowing as he inspected her.   
“I don’t believe you,” he stated with certainty.  
Shepard shrugged, turned and walked away, Kolyat watched her in shock. He gave his father a quick glance, his expression hadn’t changed, quickly he followed Shepard to find out the truth. He was a little worried that they weren’t lying, but he couldn’t see his father allowing that.   
“What were you and my father actually talking about?” he asked, hoping that he was right and it wasn’t about him being air locked.   
“He noticed a strain between the two of you and didn’t know how to fix it. So I came up with the idea that you can spend your days in my room.” She muttered. She really didn’t want to do this, but Thane wanted a relationship with his son. “Although Kolyat, if you push like you have been doing, I will drop you off at the next planet, whether father likes it or not.” She bit out scowling at him.   
They both entered the elevator heading to her room. He thought when they exited that they would discuss this more but she went to her desk to finish paper work. Kolyat sat on the couch watching the Commander, his first thought was to see how far he could push his luck, but he decided against that for now. This was a huge step for her and he didn’t want to find himself off the ship.   
~ooooooooooo~  
Garrus glanced up when someone took a seat across from him as he ate his lunch. He smirked when he saw it was Thane. “How is it going with your son?” Garrus asked, he had noticed the strain between the two of them. Thane had talked to him about it a few time.   
“Stressful, though I think that is about to change,” Thane answered thoughtfully. “Shepard came up with an idea for Kolyat to stay in her room during the day. That will give him the space he needs.” Thane smirked as he saw Garrus’ eyes widened. He wasn’t surprised by the reaction it was a similar one he had.  
“Hopefully your son doesn’t push it or Shepard will kill him,” Garrus warned Thane.   
“I don’t think that will be a worry,” Thane murmured thoughtfully as he dug into his own food.   
Garrus looked at him dubiously, Kolyat had done everything to annoy Shepard. But he had also started bring her out of her shell to. Garrus had noticed but he kept that to himself. Thane caught Garrus’ look and smirked, he didn’t think his son would be stupid enough to antagonize Shepard in her own room. He flinched at that thought and knew he was wrong, he son would do it just to get a rise out of her.   
“Well we’ll see what the next couple of days bring,” Garrus murmured trying to waylay Thane’s worries.   
~ooooooooo~  
Shepard focused on the mission that they were just heading to. Jack wanted to blow up a Cerberus facility that she had been raised in. Shepard couldn’t wait until they reached their destination, it would get her off the ship and fighting. That was what she really needed to help her think straight and not on the drell that was now sitting on her couch.  
She glanced up to find him watching her once again. It was unnerving to say that least, her bodies reaction was even more unnerving.   
Kolyat watched as she worked trying to figure her out. That was all he saw her do was work, he wondered if she did other thing. He smirked as she caught him watching her once again, her eyes narrowed in annoyance. He withheld his chuckle as she pointedly turned back to her computer.   
“Are you hungry?” he asked, breaking the silence in the room.   
“No, too much work to do,” she answered absently.   
“I thought biotics were supposed to eat lots?” he commented.   
“Doesn’t matter. Work first, when I’m done then I’ll eat,” she stated, never once raising her eyes to meet his.   
Kolyat’s eyes widened at her words, anger rose in him that she wasn’t taking better care of herself. He smirked as an idea came to him. He didn’t say a word to her when he left her room and headed to the Mess Hall.   
He found Garrus and his father sitting at a table talking quietly as he went to grab his own food. He grabbed another plate for Shepard. She was going to eat, whether she liked it or not, he thought, looking forward to this next challenge.   
“Good luck on that one,” Garrus smirked as he saw Kolyat pass them with two plates of food.   
“What do you mean by that?” Kolyat stopped at their table.   
“If she’s working, you won’t be able to get her to eat. She doesn’t take breaks,” Garrus sighed. That was one thing that irked him. He had tried getting her to take break on the old Normandy but that hadn’t went well. She always worked, from the time she got until she was exhausted. During that time, she would eat when she remembered.   
“Well, she’s going to learn something new,” Kolyat grinned, leaving them to finish their meal.  
Shepard glanced over her shoulder when her door opened. She raised a brow when he walked in with two plates of food. With a shake of her head she turned back the data pads on her desk. “Are you going to eat?” Kolyat asked.   
Shepard raised a brow, “When I’m done working,” she told him turning back to the data pad in her hand.   
“You should eat,” He grinned.   
“Kolyat, I told you, when I am finished working I’ll eat.” She bit out.   
“For some odd reason I don’t believe you,” he chuckled as he moved over to her. “We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” he told her with a shrug when her eyes narrowed in warning.   
Shepard blatantly ignored the threat; there wasn’t much he could do to her. She gave a yelp when her chair was abruptly moved back and she found herself over his shoulder.   
~oooooooo~  
Joker sat in his comfy chair chuckling as he watched Shepard and Kolyat. He was waiting for the Commander to kick his ass. Like she would do to anyone else. His eyes widened when he saw Thane’s kid shove her office chair back and then hefted her over his shoulder. He chortled as he watched the guy moved to the couch and depositing none too gently.   
He waited for the explosion of anger, but so far none had come. The Commander looked dazed for a moment until Thane’s kid spoke. “Either eat on your own, or I’ll feed you myself,” he stated firmly. Joker was holding his side as he laughed. About time someone got the upper hand with the Commander. Time on the ship was now going to be very interesting. He smirked.   
He watched them for a few more minutes and then sent the video feed to Garrus. He knew Garrus would get a kick out of this.   
~oooooo~  
Garrus looked at his omnitool in annoyance as he just finished eating. He opened the message from Joker and goggled at what he was seeing. “Thane, your son is insane, I hope he’s around for a while longer,” Garrus murmured as he replayed the video for Thane.   
Both of them looked at each other for a moment and started chuckling.   
~ooooooo~  
Shepard snatched her fork from her plate when Kolyat went to grab it. “Sleep lightly,” she growled.   
“Doesn’t that mean you’re going to visit me during the night?” he purred ignoring the threat. “I look forward to it.”  
Shepard hissed her anger before digging into her food.   
Kolyat sat back on the couch silently laughing. The fatigue he had seen earlier was diminishing, she was angry and her biotics weren’t flaring out of control. As far as he was concerned he had won this battle of wills.


	6. Chapter 6

A Shoulder to Lean On  
Shepard was finally in her element as she shot the enemy from across the room. She was enjoying this, she didn’t have to think, her body was following her orders and not reacting to a certain Drell. She grinned as she went against a krogan. Jack was up against a few merc, Garrus was helping Jack out. She needed this, something challenging and dangerous.   
Garrus looked over to Shepard when he took down the last Merc. Jack had already finished her fight, Shepard was the only one left. He smirked as he watched the Krogan try and move, but couldn’t. He cringed looking away before he saw her final move. That was the stuff of nightmares.   
He turned to Jack, about to warn her, but it was too late. He watched in amusement as her face turned into disgust. “That was just disgusting. I’ll never look at Grunt the same way.” She muttered.   
“Yeah, I know what you mean,” Garrus smirked.   
“So Garrus, what do Turians insides look like?” she asked with a mocking smile.   
Garrus scowled at her, waiting for her to continue. He knew when he was about to be blackmailed. She stayed silent and he started fidgeting, worrying about what she would come up with. When the tension became too much he sighed, “What do you want?”   
“I want you to talk Shepard into allowing me on the next mission,” she grinned. It had been awhile since she had this much fun.   
“And if I don’t?” Garrus asked, crossing his arms over his chest, taking on a cocky pose. He knew she had nothing on him.   
“Then Shepard finds out about that video Joker sent you,” She grinning, chuckling when his mandibles went slack.   
Garrus groaned and palmed his face, “Fine, you win.”  
“What’s going on?” Shepard asked when she made over to the team.   
“Nothing,” Garrus answered quickly, giving Jack a glare.   
Shepard wasn’t sure what was going on, but she knew there was something. She looked at jack and saw her smirking, like a cat who ate the cream. Shepard raised a brow, “If you say so, but if this thing comes back to bite me on the ass….”She trailed off.   
Garrus groaned when he heard the threat, Jacks chortling wasn’t helping either. He was worried she was going to tell Shepard at any moment.   
“Let’s move out, we aren’t finished yet,” Shepard ordered, leading the way further into the facility.  
Jack followed right behind Shepard and wondered if she had been raised in a facility similar to her. When they had destroyed the place she was raised, Shepard had a gleeful smile on her face. That was what made Jack wonder about her past. She tried asking once, never against after that.   
~ooooooo~  
Kolyat sat in the Mess Hall, wondering how Shepard was fairing. He didn’t think she would have any flares, he had spent an hour touching her, though not like he wanted to. He glanced up when his father sat down across from him. His good day, just got worst. He wasn’t sure which was worse, sitting with Miranda and hearing how she is perfect, or sitting with his father.   
“What do you want?” Kolyat asked, trying to keep the bite out of words. When his father raised his brow he knew he hadn’t succeeded.   
“To see how you are. We haven’t talked much lately,” Thane commented. He ignored his son’s tone of voice. He didn’t want an argument right now. He was trying to make a connection of some type before he died.   
“Well, you can see that I’m doing fine,” Kolyat snapped, ignoring his father as he turned back to his food.  
“How has it been staying up in Shepard’s room?” Thane asked, breaking the awkward silence that had descended.   
“That is none of your business,” Kolyat muttered, though he couldn’t hold back a grin as he recalled a few times he got the better of her. Now she was eating her meals when he brought them up. She was taking time away from her work so she could relax. The one that shocked him the most was last night. She had fallen asleep while they watched a movie leaning against his shoulder. That one thought always brought a smile to his face.   
Thane watched his son in amusement. He was reliving a memory, relaying everything that happened in that moment. He knew his son didn’t realize it right now, but he would in a moment. Slowly his son came to, a blush brightened his frills when he realized that he had blurted everything out.   
Kolyat muttered something that Thane didn’t catch as he made a quick exit. Kolyat knew he just blurted out everything that happened. Even though it was innocent, it still meant a lot to him that she would let down her guard for him.   
~oooooooooo~  
They were clearing out the last room. Shepard knew this by all the Mercs that decided to converge here. She was pissed, they had them at a disadvantage, so they had no choice but to take cover and stay there. She’d already caught a bullet in shoulder, and it was still in there. So now she was in pain, her biotics were right out of control, that she was glowing like a beacon. Jack and Garrus stayed well away from her, good plan too, god only knows what would happen if they got to close.   
The only person that could help her was safely on board the Normandy, but there was no way she was running to him as soon as she boarded. First she needed the bullet wound attended, now that should be so much fun. She thought snidely.   
She snapped out of her thoughts when she heard Garrus curse. Her gaze turned towards him to see that he just avoided a bullet. “Garrus, Jack cover me!” She ordered and stood up.   
She gathered that dark energy that was riding her and threw it out towards the enemy. A brilliant flash of blue caused both Jack and Garrus to hiss as they ducked back down covering their eyes. When they could open there eyes without worrying about frying their retinas, they continued shooting, covering Shepard.   
Shepard hadn’t killed them all, but she gave them a lot of breathing room. Now she was exhausted, her hands were still glowing and her temperament wasn’t any better. Garrus and Jack took out the last of them as Shepard moved forward when it was safe. She made her way to the terminal for the information that the Cerberus was looking for.   
“Got the information, let’s get the hell out of here.” She stated coldly.   
“How is your shoulder doing?” Garrus asked with concern. He could see the hole in her armor but he hoped the medigel had healed it somewhat.   
“Oh just fucking peachy.” She snarled. “The fucking bullet is still in it.”  
“Shit,” Garrus hissed. He knew that meant surgery.   
“Couldn’t have said it better myself,” Shepard grumbled as she led the way back to the shuttle.   
~ooooooooo~  
Kolyat made his way back to the Mess Hall when heard that the ground team were boarding from the mission. He saw Garrus first and then Jack, but Shepard wasn’t with them. He raised a questioning brow at them.   
Garrus saw Kolyat, he wasn’t sure if he should sent him to Shepard or not. He knew Shepard needed him at the moment but she wasn’t in the best of moods either, so he wasn’t sure it was safe for him.   
“Where is Shepard?” Kolyat asked calmly even though he was worried.   
“Probably up in her room by now, seriously pissed,” Garrus told him, allowing Kolyat to do what he wanted. He smirked as the he left for the elevators quickly.   
“Do you think he’ll live?” Jack asked as she took a seat across from him with her own plate of food.   
“Probably,” Garrus shrugged. He was surprised that Thane wasn’t out here. He usually showed up to find out how the mission went.   
Kolyat stepped into Shepard’s room to find her struggling with her armor. He walked over to her, his hands raised in surrender as she glared at him. “I’m just going to help. I promise to behave.” He grinned.   
Shepard stared at him for a moment before relenting, she lifted her arm allowing his to undo the clasps. She hissed in pain when he tried removing her upper armor. “Shepard?” she heard the concern in voice, but right now pain had stolen her breath that she couldn’t answer.   
“I’m fine, just a bullet wound,” she muttered.  
“A bullet wound and you’re up here instead of in Med Bay,” Kolyat nearly shout his outrage.   
“Yeah, there is nothing they can do for me,” she said tiredly. “Remember people have a problem touching me, and I can’t go under, so I’ll be wide awake when they take the bullet out.”  
Kolyat’s eyes widened at her words. He could just imagine the pain she would go through. “What can I do?” he asked urgently.   
“I don’t know, I’m not sure if there is anything you can do,” she muttered tiredly and leaned her head against his shoulder for a moment. She knew her fatigue had to do with blood loss and coming down from the adrenaline high she always had after a fight.   
Kolyat looked down at the top of her head in shocked, but he didn’t say a word. Lightly he wrapped his arms around her, being especially careful of her shoulder. He could feel her dark energy, but it was faint compared to usual. “If I was in the Med Bay with you, would they be able to put your under?” he asked cautiously.   
“I don’t know. It won’t be pretty,” she sighed, moving away from him.   
He followed her down to the Med Bay, her team mates were at the table eating and they watched curiously as Shepard walked towards the Med Bay with only her under padding on. Kolyat stayed with her as she entered. He wasn’t sure what to expect as she automatically hopped onto one of the sterile beds.   
Dr. Chakwas turned in her chair, she flinched when she saw the bullet wound. “Is it…?” she couldn’t finish the question. She knew if the answer was yes, then she would be doing surgery on a patient that was awake and coherent. She would be in agony and there would be nothing the doctor could do about it.   
“Yeah the bullet is still in there,” Shepard muttered preparing herself for the pain to come. “Just get it done will you.”  
“Kolyat you should leave. You don’t want to be in here for this.” Doctor Chakwas stated.   
“I’m here to help. If you put her out, I might be able to help with her biotics,” he offered hopefully. He didn’t want to see Shepard in pain.   
“It might be safe right now. He took what was left over from the fight.” Shepard shrugged and then flinched.   
“We’ll try putting you under.” Chakwas said with relief as she went over to the sedative. She gave Shepard an injection and backed away from her, waiting for the consequences. She started glowing faintly as her eyes drifted shut. Chakwas moved back more as the glow brightened. Kolyat moved forwards when he saw the fear on the doctor’s face. He took Shepard’s hand and smirked when he felt it tighten around his.   
Chakwas moved forward when the glow dimmed. Kolyat took a seat on a chair near the table waiting for the doctor to proceed. “Are you sure you wish to be in here?” Chakwas asked one final time.   
“I don’t think there is a choice in the matter.” Kolyat stated, meeting her eyes with his unflinching stare. There was no way in hell he was leaving Shepard’s side, he vowed silently.   
Chakwas set up a drape so he wouldn’t have to see what was going on. She didn’t like this, but it was better than the other option. The last thing she wanted to ever go through again, was Shepard awake during surgery. That had happened once and she’d never forget it.   
Quickly she removed the bullet and stitched up the wound. Kolyat was sitting there quietly trying to ignore the sounds he heard from the other side of the drape. He knew Shepard was partly awake, but not fully. Her hand would tighten on his every now and then.   
“There done, now she just needs to rest. I’m keeping her in here overnight to make sure infection doesn’t set in. You should go and rest.” Chakwas ordered.   
“No, I’m fine,” he answered never taking his eyes off of Shepard.   
Chakwas rolled her eyes at his answer. She should have figured he would be just as stubborn as Shepard.   
~oooooooooo~  
Early this morning the doctor had Shepard moved to her room. After threats and biotics flares they thought it would be best. It ended up with Kolyat carrying her as Garrus and Thane emptied the Mess Hall.   
Shepard slept peacefully on her bed. The doctor had given her another sedative to help with pain. Kolyat sat on the couch watching movies as she slept. Every now and then he would watch her when she shifted around. It was getting harder and harder for him to be up here with her. What he wanted, she wasn’t ready for and he wasn’t sure if she ever would. Whoever messed with her before did a good job of it, she was just getting used to him touching her.   
His gaze switched to the door as it opened, Garrus and Thane walked in. “How is she?” Thane asked.   
“Fine, she’s sedated right now,” Kolyat shrugged, scowling at his father. Figures, he would come here and check on her, but not his mother. His mother had to die before he finally showed any emotions. And that had been for a very short time.   
“Chakwas sedated her?” Garrus asked astonished. When he had been in the Mess Hall while Shepard been in the Med Bay, he had braced himself for a scream, but none had come.   
“With me touching her, she was able to be sedated during the surgery.” He explained, turning his focus to Garrus, ignoring his father.   
Garrus raised a brow, pleased at this turn of events. His eyes narrowed when he noticed Kolyat ignoring Thane. He thought about saying something, but decided not to leave it for now. He turned his focus to Shepard who was sitting up on her bed. She had a light t-shirt on with a pair of shorts. “Hey guys, anyone think about bring coffee?” she asked with a grin ignoring the throbbing in her shoulder.   
“Nope, the pot was empty,” Garrus shrugged with a grin as he saw her scowl.   
“Figures, so did that information get sent the Cerberus?” she asked as she slowly got out of bed. Garrus and Thane moved over to the couch, taking a seat as Kolyat grabbed Shepard some clothes. He didn’t like the thought of walking around in the attire she had on right now.   
“Yeah, I made sure it was sent to the Illusive Pain in the Ass.” Garrus answered with a chuckle.   
She dressed as quick as her shoulder allowed. Without thinking about it, she took a seat next to Thane. Kolyat scowled as he saw this. Shepard turned to him when she heard his hiss. Thane was about to move away, he didn’t want to start a fight between him and his son. But it hurt to hear his son warn him away from Shepard.   
“Stay put,” Shepard ordered, when she felt Thane about to move. “Kolyat knock it off. Remember that talk we had yesterday?” she stated coldly.   
“Yes,” he mumbled.   
“Do you remember what you said?” she smirked. He rolled his eyes at her. “Good, I would hate to see you go back on your word.” She grinned when she heard him groan. He had told her that he wanted to give his father a chance, but he didn’t know how. He was still confused over his father, but seeing Shepard sitting beside him didn’t help his turmoil at all.   
“You’re a pain in the ass,” he muttered scowling at her.   
“Now look at who’s calling the kettle black,” she chuckled, shaking her head at him. He grabbed her some water before moving over to the couch. Garrus moved over to give him room.   
“So, what next on the list?” Garrus asked breaking the tension in the room.   
“We’re going to Tuchanka, Mordin and Grunt each have a mission there.” She answered, ignoring the son and father staring competition.   
“Wonder how’s Wrex is doing,” Garrus said thoughtfully. He couldn’t wait to see the krogan’s face when he saw Shepard. She had changed some from the Shepard he use to know. She was more relaxed, not as serious as she used to be. Now she actually smiled or teased.  
“When are we supposed to head there?” He asked, he hoped it was soon. Tension between Kolyat and Thane were high enough as it was.   
“It’ll take us about a week to get there. You and Thane are coming down as backup.” She told him, her focus turned to the two glaring Drell.   
“If the two of you keep this up, I’m locking the both of you in Life Support until we reach Tuchanka.” She threatened, and it was one that she planned on keeping. They both swung their gaze towards her, looking at her incredulously. She raised a brow silently challenging them to test her.   
Kolyat scowled at her, Thane folded his hands in his lap, his gaze distant. The scowls and glares between the two of them and Kolyat’s sneering looks, abated as she watched them out of the corner of her eye. Her and Garrus returned to their discussion of the up and coming mission.   
~oooooooo~  
Shepard sat on her bed, her quarters finally empty. She wasn’t sure where Kolyat went to, hopefully to talk to his father. She moved over to her computer, blatantly going against doctor’s orders. She smirked as she opened her mail to see if there was anything new. A few requests had been sent to her, plus there were three new data pad on her desk. She sighed in relief now that she wouldn’t have a boring night.   
She leaned back in her chair with the data pad in her hand. It was a report on a mission waiting for them. Another from Cerberus, this one she wasn’t sure if she was going to do or not. It seems that project Overlord had come into some troubles. Mainly the computer had taken over. Joy, she just loved these missions.  
“Shouldn’t you be resting?” Kolyat asked, from behind her as he entered her quarters.   
“Aren’t you supposed to be nicer to your father?” she asked mockingly.   
“Shepard, he doesn’t deserve my forgiveness!” He spat belligerently.   
“So seeing your father lying dead somewhere is your greatest wish? You would love to see him dead and it wouldn’t affect you?” She asked in a hard tone.   
He stopped and stared at her. He tried to picture his father laying somewhere dead and his body froze in fear. His chest tightened at the thought of losing his father. No, he couldn’t lose his father. He wasn’t ready for that, no matter how angry he was.   
“No,” he whispered.   
“I know. Now you just need to figure out, are you willing to try for a relationship with your father? Or are you going to keep him out of your life?” She asked him softly.   
“I can’t forgive him just like that,” Kolyat snapped at her.   
“No, I don’t believe anyone can. But you can give him a chance, let him prove himself. That you can do,” She said softly. She stayed silent as he stood there thinking about what she said.   
“Sania, what would you do if you met your parents again?” he asked softly.   
“I don’t know. My situation is very different than yours. Your father was there for part of your life. When he was there, you had his time. Whereas my family locked me in the Cargo Bay, they only opened the doors to feed me. Whether it was them that left me food, or someone else I don’t know. The day they locked me in there for the crew safety, was the very last day I saw them. Then the Alliance came, and even then they never showed.” She said quietly. “I told you once be thankful that you have a father who is willing to try again.”   
“How old were you then?” he asked barely above a whisper.   
“Six when they placed me in the Cargo Hold. The Alliance raised me. They tried having a human family raise me, but that only lasted one night. I was terrified, in a strange place. They put me in bed and turned off the lights. That was all I remembered for the longest time. Now I know what happened, I lost control, destroying the bedroom, scaring them in the process. It wasn’t even light when the Alliance came for me once again. They had protective gear on, taking me from the house.   
The Alliance doesn’t like Cerberus because of their experiments. They are no better than them. The have hidden facilities too. Places where they place kids like me in sterile rooms and watch us all the time. I had thought there were more kids like me, but that was a lie. A lie they told me so I would feel safe. The others were biotics, but not like me. They could be touched, they could play.” She trailed off when she felt herself surrounded by Kolyat. He held her tightly to him, anger raging through him from what she was telling him. She leaned into his embrace, feeling secure for once in her life. This was the first time she had ever told anyone this story of her life. This was a time she had tried to forget countless time, but it was always a nightmare haunting her. She knew tonight would be no different.   
“What else?” he asked softly when she stopped.   
“I found out it was a training facility. I was six years old training my biotics as if I was in the military. The other kids would play and I would be sent to a room where I would go up against fake enemies. That went on until I was twelve years old. By that time I was the perfect killer. With the surgeries, the testing and the medications, I was the perfect killer. It didn’t bother me that I could take a life using my biotics.   
I don’t know what happened, but they transferred me to this other place. It was a school. That was my happier years. Those are where my best memories are from.” She smiled sadly. “I later found out that facility that I was in was shut down.” She smirked.   
Kolyat sat in her office chair with her on his lap, he held her securely in his arms. He understood now why she shoves him away. He knew what he needed to do to win her over. He would have to gain her trust, instead of forcing it on her. He rested his head on hers as she curled into him.   
She glanced up at him when she heard the sound. Kolyat stopped purring, thinking he had unnerved her. He watched her nervously, waiting for her disgust. “Don’t stop, that was actually soothing.” She smiled shyly. He chuckled and continued purring as they both sat there contentedly in the silence of the room.


	7. Chapter 7

Shepard curled into Kolyat’s embrace. She was exhausted after divulging parts of her past, but she was leery about falling asleep. 

“What is it?” Kolyat asked when he felt her tense beside him. 

“Nothing,” she mumbled into his leathers. Her eyelids grew heavier as she tried to fight the exhaustion in her body. She was no longer able to fight sleep, and at the moment she felt secure in his arms. 

Kolyat smiled gently when he heard her breath even out as sleep claimed her. He knew she’d been fighting it for the past few hours, though he didn’t understand why. He shifted in her office chair, trying to find a more comfortable position, but he didn’t want to disturb her sleep. She murmured something unintelligible that he couldn’t comprehend. With a sigh he rose to his feet, moving carefully over to her bed where he placed her down softly, making sure not to wake her. He grabbed another blanket from the chest at the bottom of her bed and covered her. 

He stood there for a few minutes watching her as she slept peacefully; lightly brushing stray hairs from her face. He was surprised that she hadn’t woken when he moved her to the bed. His father was a very light sleeper- the slightest movement and he was awake. Yet Sania remained sleeping even with him carrying her; it didn’t make sense to him. He knew he should leave; he should be heading to his own bed. Sighing, he left her cabin and headed for his room. When he reached Life Support, his father’s eyes snapped open. 

“You’re here late,” Thane commented, sitting up in his bed. “Is everything alright with Shepard?”

“Sania’s fine; she’s sleeping now,” Kolyat answered tiredly. 

Thane raised a brow when he heard no sneering remarks or biting words. He wondered what had caused the change of attitude. 

“Sania?” Thane asked quizzically. 

“Yeah, she told me I could call her that,” Kolyat said, smirking as he sat down on his bed. Thane waited for his son to continue as he was deep in thought, his brow ridge was pulled down in a troubled frown that worried Thane. “What was it like when you were training for the Hanar?” Kolyat asked softly.

“It wasn’t easy, they started my training when I was very young,” Thane answered him, slightly surprised at the abrupt change in topic. 

“Did they do experiments? Testing on you?” he asked uncertainly. What Sania had shared about her past had bothered him. He wasn’t sure what she meant by experiments or testing, but it sounded more to him like she was a prisoner under the whim of the Alliance. 

“No, the only surgery I received was for my eyes. What I went through was extensive training.” Thane replied, looking at his son with uncertainty. “What brought these questions on?”

“I’m not answering that question; it’s not my place,” Kolyat answered quickly before laying down on his cot. 

Thane watched him worriedly for a moment. He had already assumed it had to do with the Commander, but he worried for his son. 

~ooooooo~

She sat curled into a ball in the corner, her eyes never leaving the door. Tears stained her cheeks, her small heart was broken. She didn’t understand why she had been placed in there. She wanted her mommy, wanted to feel her arms around her. But instead, she had shadows creeping closer, corrupting what little light there was in that place. The shadows grew as the lights dimmed, fear raced through her body making her heart pound. 

They had said she was dangerous, that it wasn’t safe for her to be with normal people. She remembered her mommy telling her that she would be leaving soon. She didn’t want to leave; she wanted to stay with her mom. She had cried and pleaded with them to keep her, but her father had said ‘no’ in a harsh, cold tone that frightened her. 

The lights finally went out and she was plunged into darkness. Her cries and whimpers went without answer. Her imagination got the better of her as she felt the cold clutches of the shadows holding her in place. They would shift and move and her fear would escalate. She yelled for her mom but there was no answer; she was alone, and her only hope was that they would be back for her in the morning. 

She lay curled up for hours, her hopes soaring when the doors opened. She ran to the door in hopes of seeing her mother; a wishful expectation shattered when all she saw was a dark figure place a plate of food on the floor and retreat. A new set of tears began to flow. 

Days, weeks, years could have passed; she didn’t know. All sense of time was lost in the constant repetition of untouched meals and unanswered cries for help. She was a shell. Her world had crumbled, and she finally realized that her parents didn’t love her anymore. It was confirmed when strange people came for her; when they took her away and her parents were nowhere to be found. She ran from the strangers to where her mother should have been, but all she met was an empty room. 

They caught her, roughly handling her. She recognized the darkness coming for her once again as she felt a sharp sting in her neck…

Shepard awoke with a cry; her face was beaded in sweat as she searched her room. Someone had turned off the lights, and she couldn’t see anything. Terror raced through her; she slapped a hand over her mouth when she heard herself whimper. A tear slowly trailed down her cheek. 

“Commander, is everything alright?” EDI asked.

“Yes,” She answered, her voice quivering. 

EDI said nothing for a moment before disappearing. 

Kolyat jerked awake, his eyes searching the darkness; he knew something wasn’t right, but he wasn’t sure what. He lay still, steadying his breathing, listening intently. His father breathed evenly on his cot; the humming of the engine was steady. Quietly he rose from his bed. He couldn’t stay in the room anymore. His gut told him something was off; something wasn’t right and it worried him. 

He paced the Mess Hall, his emotions wound tight. His gaze always landing on the elevator with each lap he made in his pacing. With determined steps he entered the elevator and pressed the button to Sania’s quarters. 

He walked in; shocked to see her huddled on the bed in the darkness of the room. He moved towards her, wondering what set her off. She reminded him of a terrified child at that moment. 

“Sania?” he called to her softly. 

“I’m fine, just a nightmare,” she muttered feebly.

She heard him move towards the bed. In that moment, she couldn’t believe the effect that the darkness was having on her. She had thought that they had trained that out of her, but after her nightmare she knew that that training was cast aside. 

“What was the nightmare about?” he asked, taking a seat on the edge of her bed. 

She didn’t scowl or try and shove him away like she usually would. Sania couldn’t believe that she actually felt comfortable with him sitting on her bed. His closeness was soothing to her. Her frayed nerves were beginning to settle as he sat near her. She wasn’t sure what was happening; that she would enjoy him this close was confusing. 

“Our talk earlier,” she shrugged casually. 

Kolyat watched her carefully; he wanted to reach out to her, to hold her. He wasn’t sure if she would reject him or not. When they had sat together on the chair it was different, she had just shared a traumatic event with him. 

Kolyat stood up when she moved off the bed. 

“Where do you think you are going?” he asked, with an arched brow. 

“Work. I can’t go back to sleep, so I might as well do something productive,” she shrugged, heading towards the shower. 

Kolyat reached out, grabbing one of her arms and turning her to face him. She didn’t fight him when one of his arms wrapped around her waist. The twinge she had been able to ignore for the last few weeks was back stronger than ever. This was more than a twinge- it was a throb. She stifled back a moan, her gaze searching his eyes for something. She wasn’t sure what, but her body seemed to know what it wanted. 

Kolyat watched her, fighting back a smirk as he felt her shift. He breathed in deeply as he took in the scent of her arousal. Slowly he bent his head down, lightly brushing a kiss across her mouth. When she didn’t balk, he deepened the kiss. 

Sania felt a shiver race through her body. She felt like it was on fire when she felt his smooth lips brush across hers. She didn’t know what to do and felt like a fool, but that didn’t dampen the pulsing need that was increasing between her legs. She could feel the moisture building uncomfortably. A part of her was scared, but she fought that off; she was tired of being scared of her body. 

She gasped when his hands tightened, bringing her closer to his lean muscular body. Kolyat took it slowly, even when he felt her lips part as she gasped. He forced himself not to take advantage of her. He tried to ignore the way her body rubbed against his, or the way his body reacted to her actions. He laced his fingers through her soft hair, tilting her head back slightly.

She broke the kiss, panting. Kolyat was grinning smugly as he watched her. Her green eyes were bright with desire; her skin was flushed. Her eyes kept falling to his mouth with a look of wonder. He took her mouth again, this time tasting her when she gasped. She met his tongue hesitantly. Kolyat moaned low in his throat, pulling her flush against him. Her lithe body moved against his innocently, trying to ease the ache he knew she felt. His control was reaching its limit. He knew he needed to stop this before it went too far; she wasn’t ready for more. 

Her fingers grazed the frills along his neck. He groaned, grinding himself against her firm body. His limit had been reached, and he knew had to stop this sooner rather later. 

Sania moaned, her hands brushing against his soft velvety skin. Her body ached with need; the feeling building within her was starting to override her body. 

Kolyat broke the kiss, leaning his forehead against hers, trying to get his body under control again. He knew he should leave, but he couldn’t force himself to as his hand ran along her back in circular motions. There was one thing he had to stop or he would definitely be staying up there for the night. 

“Sania, you should move your hands,” he murmured, his voice deep and gravely with un-sated passion. He sighed when her hands stopped touching his frills. “I should leave. It’s not a good idea that I stay up here,” he whispered against her forehead.

She took a step away from him, his hands still lingering on her back. She didn’t want to move away, but she knew he was right. 

“You should go back to sleep,” Kolyat stated pointedly. 

“No, I’m awake now,” she smirked as she moved away from him. She was too worried about the nightmares coming back. She didn’t want to relive that moment again. 

“Sania,” Kolyat warned, his voice becoming hard. 

Her eyes narrowed at him when she heard the sharpness of his tone. “I’m not going back to sleep!” she snapped coldly. 

“There is still half the night cycle left! You can’t be seriously thinking about staying up for the rest of the night and working all day also.” He stated, staring at her incredulously. 

“That is exactly what I plan.” She met his glare with one of her own. There was no way she was backing down to him. 

“That is stupid! You’re going to burn yourself out. And then what are you going to do when you are too tired to have any control of your biotics?” he asked snidely. 

“I’ll deal with it when the time comes,” she answered heatedly. 

“And what about the mission on Tuchanka? How are you going to do that without putting your crew in danger?” He asked quietly, trying to get her to see reason. 

“Don’t worry about it,” she stated coolly. 

“Don’t worry about it?” he asked, unable to mask his growing frustration. “You asked my father to go with as back-up, and you’re asking me not to worry about it?” He closed his eyes praying to his gods for the will to keep his anger in check. 

“I’m going with you.” He stated emphatically.

“No you are not! I will not have a rookie endangering the mission,” she replied definitively.

“Then who will take your overload before you kill your squad?” he asked her quietly. 

She glared at him murderously and marched to the door. Kolyat watched as she walked out; he saw her anger, but he also recognized the fear lurking beneath it. With a sigh he followed her, waiting for the elevator. He would probably have to search for her, but he needed her to see what she was doing was dangerous.

He didn’t have to look far; she was in the Mess Hall making herself coffee. He stood in the shadows and watched her. She drank her first cup quickly and then poured herself another one. He wasn’t sure what he could do to make her see reason. 

“Do you really think coffee is going to help you?” he asked when she was pouring herself yet another cup. 

“Yep,” she answered casually, as he stood there shaking his head. 

“Well you found a way to keep yourself awake, so how are you going to keep your biotics under control for the next few hours? I’m going to bed shortly so you won’t be able to use me,” he said pointedly. 

~oooooooo~

Thane woke with a jolt when he heard angered voices outside his room. He listened for a moment and recognized his son’s and Shepard’s voice. Silently, he slipped out of Life Support without either of them noticing. He wasn’t sure what was going on, but Shepard looked like hell. He and the crew had noticed that she hadn’t been sleeping properly over the last few days. 

He heard his son’s last comment and raised a brow in response. It wasn’t like his son to forego any opportunity to touch Shepard. 

“I don’t need your help, Kolyat,” Shepard said with a bite in her tone, making her sound harsh. 

“And who is going to die? You know your biotics are worse when you don’t look after yourself, and two hours of sleep comes under that heading.” Kolyat told her, sounding older than his twenty-one years. 

“No one is going to die,” Shepard responded; annoyed with him, she turned her back towards him. 

Thane watched as she poured another cup of coffee. He was amazed when Kolyat stepped forward and took the cup from her. She glared at him intensely. Thane was surprised she didn’t try and kill him. 

“Fuck you!” she hissed, grabbing another mug. 

“I’d take you up on that offer, but you aren’t ready for those types of intimacies,” Kolyat mocked. 

Thane looked at his son in shock as he heard the way he spoke to Shepard. 

“Yeah I know, you don’t need to remind me,” she bit out. 

Thane watched the pair with astonishment, as Kolyat walked over to Shepard, a sad look on his face. He watched as his son wrapped his arms around Shepard, pulling her into a hug; his eyes widened as Shepard returned the hug. He was about to leave them alone, but peripheral movement caught his attention. 

Garrus was standing on the steps that lead to his quarters in the Main Battery. 

~oooooooo~

“So why don’t you tell me what’s really wrong?” Kolyat asked her, as he rested his chin on top of her head. 

She sighed deeply, her shoulders slouching in defeat. “I don’t want any more nightmares,” she answered quietly. 

He shook his head, laughing softly. “You know, you’re stubborn,” he pointed out.

“Kolyat, if I hadn’t woken up when I did, and let the nightmare play out, the repercussions would have been worse.” She said, averting her gaze from his. 

“Come on.” Kolyat motioned her towards the elevators. 

Garrus and Thane watched the pair as they left the Mess Hall.

“So what was that all about?” Garrus asked tiredly. 

“I’m not sure, but it had to do with her sleeping,” Thane answered with a shrug. He smiled as he remembered their shared embrace. He wondered if his son would be coming back down before day shift was on. 

~ooooooooo~

Kolyat drifted to sleep with Sania curled up beneath a blanket. He covered himself with one he took out of the truck by her bed. Even with the barrier that the two separate blankets provided, he still held her close. He soothed her when she whimpered or moaned in her sleep. Only when she was quiet, would he sleep lightly beside her, alert for any signs of nightmares. 

Shepard slowly woke up, not sure what the time was, but she actually felt rested. She hadn’t slept this good since…well she didn’t know how long. She glanced over to the drell that was lying beside her. He looked peaceful as he slept. Hesitantly she reached out a hand, lightly tracing the dark marking that lined the ridge running along his face. 

Kolyat felt something running lightly across his skin. He took a deep breath and smelled Shepard, and before he could stop himself he started purring. He felt her jerk and her touch disappeared. Slowly, he opened his eyes to see her looking at him with a nervous gaze. He reached, grazing her cheek, and enjoying the sensations of soft skin beneath his fingertips. 

“Sorry, didn’t mean to wake you,” She whispered softly. 

“I don’t mind at all,” he said, grinning mischievously.

She rolled her eyes, chuckling as she moved off the bed. She watched as he tossed the blankets off of himself; he was still wearing his leathers. She arched a brow in response to seeing this. 

He caught her expression and chuckled. “Trust me you wouldn’t want me to remove my clothes to make myself more comfortable,” he said; a wicked glint in his eyes as he moved towards her. He bent down, whispering softly in her ear why that wouldn’t have been a good idea.

Shepard stood there dazed, listening to what he said. He wears nothing beneath those leather… oh my…uh… should I even be enjoying this information? She mused to herself. She could feel her cheeks burning; her heart racing and her body heating up once more. 

She really needed to have a talk with Mordin one of these days.


	8. Chapter 8

The weeks passed by fast. Garrus was excited to meet up with Wrex, so the Krogan could meet the new Shepard. The last few weeks there had been some changes, too. She and Kolyat weren’t bickering anymore, and no one was afraid of Kolyat getting spaced any time soon. Another shocking thing was that Kolyat was actually having civil conversations with his father. Shepard even ate with the crew sometimes. Garrus didn’t know what happened, but he also wasn’t going to ask. Thane’s kid had worked miracles as far as he was concerned. 

Thane and Kolyat came into the Mess Hall and sat across from Garrus at his table. Shepard was no where to be seen, and Garrus could never be sure of where she was off to. 

“Where’s Shepard?” he asked the pair in front of him. 

“Sania is plotting out a new course for the rest of the missions she has data on. She’ll be eating once she is finished,” Kolyat answered him. Thane and Garrus stopped eating and stared at him. He glanced up when he felt their eyes linger on him. “What?” he asked hesitantly. 

“Sania?” Garrus asked, arching his brow emphatically. 

“So?” Kolyat muttered, giving him a strange look. 

“I’ve known her for a while and have never called her by her first name,” Garrus stated; the shock still visible on his face. 

Kolyat didn’t bother saying anything; there wasn’t much he could say to that. He glanced over his father’s shoulder when he noticed movement. Sania moved towards them with her plate in hand and took a seat next to Kolyat. 

“So he’s calling you by your first name?” Garrus asked with amusement. 

“I never stopped you from using it,” She retorted with a cold voice. 

Kolyat placed a hand on her leg, trying to calm her down before she misread what Garrus was saying. 

“I know that, but its odd hearing someone calling you by your first name,” Garrus told her with a shrug, ready to drop the conversation before things got heated. 

“Kolyat said you were plotting a course for new missions,” Thane commented with an expectant look. 

“Yeah, the Illusive Man has a mission for me to do. Plus there are a few favors for the crew that needs to be done. So most of them are plotted out, but I’m still working on teams for those missions. I know for three of them, I want snipers.” she told him, looking at both Thane and Garrus pointedly. They were her snipers; the best she had ever met in her time as both a Spectre and Commander. 

“Which missions would you need a sniper for?” Garrus asked. 

Kolyat sat back in his chair, listening to them as they planned out the mission. He watched Shepard and realized that she was a true leader; she wasn’t made into a leader, she was born as one. She thought of every contingency, choosing her team carefully on what little data she had on these missions. Kolyat sat back and marveled at her.

“Samara’s, Miranda’s and Jacob’s will probably need sniper. Kasumi’s I’m leaving alone for as long as I can,” she grumbled. “Tali’s we will be doing as soon as we are finished on Tuchanka.” 

“Why are you avoiding Kasumi’s mission?” Thane asked curiously. He never thought Shepard to avoid anything. 

“Dress and high heeled shoes,” she said pointedly. 

“You have to get dressed up for that mission?” Kolyat asked with grin. 

“Unfortunately,” she groused. 

“So that means you’ll need a date for that mission,” Garrus muttered. 

“Yep,” she said, sighing heavily. 

“Sorry Shepard, I won’t have your back on this one. I don’t get dressed up.” Garrus replied adamantly. 

“Really…” She drawled, eyeing the Turian curiously. Garrus turned a nervous eye towards her. 

“I could always order you to do it,” she grinned evilly. 

Garrus groaned as he burrowed his face in his hands while Shepard chuckled. 

She turned her attention to Kolyat and noticed his scowl. She tried to understand why he would look so put off, but once again it went right over her head. 

Thane watched the two of them; he could see that Shepard was at a loss as to why his son was upset. Thane thought about who she should take, and he knew she would have to touch that person. Things would probably be stressful on the mission, especially if she didn’t like wearing dresses. So that would mean her ‘date’ wouldn’t be able to touch her; if that was the case, her cover could be blown. 

“I think you should take Kolyat,” Thane intervened; a half attempt at slicing through the growing tension between his son and Shepard. 

“What? He doesn’t know how to fight,” Shepard said, looking at him incredulously. 

“Then we teach him before hand for the mission,” Thane shrugged. 

“Thane, he needs to learn guns, hand to hand, hand signals, certain orders- that will take a lot longer than a few weeks,” she argued with the assassin. 

“He’ll learn. He can already handle a hand gun. As for hand to hand, he only needs to know the basics. Kasumi and yourself will be there.” Thane tried to rationalize. “Kasumi isn’t that adept at hand to hand. Train him on guns. He just needs enough to protect himself.”

“And what does he do when the mission goes to hell and back?” Shepard asked pointedly. “Are you willing to put your son’s life in that type of danger?”

Thane hesitated; he didn’t know how to answer that. It hadn’t occurred to him that the mission could go wrong. 

“If he’s not trained enough by then, then I will take his place,” Thane said softly, hearing his son’s warning growl. He hoped his son would forgive him for this.

“Well, it’s not a worry right now. I’m putting off that mission for as long as possible. The party isn’t for another month as it is,” she muttered, rubbing the bridge of her nose. 

“So where would I start with training?” Kolyat asked. 

“Basic training and hand to hand, you’ll work with your father and Garrus. Weapons with Jacob and Zaeed, and biotics will be with Samara and Jack,” She told him. 

“You’re not going to teach me anything on biotics?” he asked slyly. 

“Nope, but I’ll be monitoring your progress.” She smirked when his eyes narrowed in her direction.

“Why can’t you teach me biotics?” Kolyat asked, annoyed. At first, he thought this was her way of avoiding him, but after the last week he didn’t think that was probable. 

“Because, it’s not safe for me to use my biotics on board the ship,” She answered quietly. 

“I know you’re powerful, but you make it sound like you can take this ship apart,” he stated. 

“I’m not that powerful, but I can harm a lot of people on the ship,” she said definitively. 

Kolyat sat there quietly thinking about what she said. He knew she was scared of her biotics; anytime she talked about them he could hear the fear in her voice. He knew she had a reason to be afraid, but he wanted it to be her that trained him. 

“Shepard, you should be able to help him, since he can help you keep your biotics under control.” Garrus stated. 

“True, but should I really tempt fate?” she asked with an arched brow. 

“Yes,” Kolyat answered with a devious smirk. Sania looked at him, rolling her eyes. 

~oooooo~

Shepard and her crew stepped off the shuttle onto Tuchanka. She and Garrus took the lead in searching for the Krogan leader. As they approached the throne, two Krogan’s stood in front of her, blocking her path. 

“Shepard, don’t kill them. We’ll never see Wrex if you do.” Garrus said; he knew how dangerous she was when hindered.

Wrex’s head snapped towards a familiar voice. Did he just say Shepard? He thought, partially bewildered. Happiness, fear, and disbelief washed through him. Shepard, alive; is that even possible?

“Let them through!” Wrex ordered his guards.

His eyes widened as he saw Garrus walk towards him with Shepard right next to him. He wasn’t sure if he was seeing a spirit or if he was hallucinating; he had heard she died. He wasn’t sure what to say to her; he was rendered speechless. 

“Wow Garrus, I think we’ve shocked Wrex into silence,” she grinned. 

Wrex’s soft chuckle evolved into raucous laughter, leaving a rumbling resonance around them. “Shepard, it’s good to see you,” he said jovially; he wanted to greet her properly, but he also remembered not to touch her. 

She walked over to him, patting his shoulder roughly. “It’s good to see you, too, Wrex.” She grinned at him.

“Rumors have it that you died,” Wrex commented, his eyes narrowing at her touch. 

“Yep, Cerberus brought me back to fight the Reapers,” She answered; this was not a conversation she wanted to have. 

“They must have done something wrong when they brought you back, if you’re able to touch someone,” Wrex stated, his eyelids contracting in warning. 

He wasn’t sure what to make of this new Shepard. She could touch him; she had a smile and didn’t seem as stressed as she used to be. He nodded towards a group of Krogans. As far as he was concerned Shepard would have to prove herself. 

“Wrex, don’t push this,” Shepard hissed in admonition. 

“Sorry Shepard, but you’re too different. You may look like Shepard, but that doesn’t mean you are. I know a few Krogans won’t be a problem if you’re really Shepard,” Wrex stated, a challenging grin on his face. 

Kolyat moved to the front of the group, he wasn’t sure what was going on, but from the look on Sania’s face, it wasn’t good. The look on her face caused him to remember the few things she had shared with him about her past. She turned to him for a moment, sadness entering her eyes.

“Kolyat go wait in the shuttle. You don’t want to see this,” She muttered, turning her attention to the four Krogans moving towards her. “And Wrex, remember you asked for this. If any other Krogans attack me because of your uncertainty…” she trailed off, her eyes showing him her meaning. 

Wrex shivered at the look in her eyes and worried for his people. This was the Shepard he remembered. 

Shepard allowed her biotics to sweep over her; people that had been standing close to her moved away in fear. What hurt her were the looks she got from Garrus and Thane. She knew it was too good to be true- that she could finally relax; finally have a life. 

She absorbed all the dark energy that she could feel moving around her; she was about to make her point- brutally. She wasn’t sure if she could do what she planned; she had never tried it on a Krogan with his shields still up, let alone four of them. 

Kolyat hadn’t left like she ordered. He simply couldn’t bring himself to leave her. He watched as her biotics washed over her. He was entranced by her eyes; as others moved away from her, he remained near her. Her eyes shone a brilliant blue, as she turned all of her focus on the four Krogans. They charged as a group, but she expelled her biotic force in a swift motion. The Krogans were shoved back by a brutal strength. Kolyat heard their angry growls and worried for Sania. She pushed outwards with her hands, her fingers spread wide. He didn’t bother looking to see what happened to the Krogan, his whole focus was on her. All he heard was his father and Garrus gasp in response. 

Wrex sat on his throne, bile rising in his throat as he saw the four Krogans explode. It wasn’t something anyone wanted to see. His eyes narrowed at the young Drell who remained standing near the fray, his gaze transfixed on Shepard. Shepard ignored everything, staring at her handy work with dead eyes. Wrex knew without a doubt that she was really Shepard. 

She turned her lethal gaze toward him, and he feared what she would do next. At that moment he almost regretted challenging her, but he had to make sure. She walked towards him, her body glowing blue from her biotics. Her eyes were cerulean pits with no home. He knew he was about to meet his death. He felt her biotics hit him, sending him flying over his throne to land on the ground a few meters away. Slowly he struggled to his feet and saw her advancing, two of his guard moved towards her.

“Stay where you are!” he commanded them; he didn’t need to lose anymore Krogan. 

Shepard didn’t seem to hear him, and he knew that he had pushed her too far. He braced himself for the slow death those glowing eyes promised. He rose unsteadily to his feet, ignoring the sharp pain he felt in his chest from being thrown. 

The one blue Drell moved over to her quickly, stopping her by placing a hand on her shoulder. When she didn’t react, he stepped in front of her, pulling her into an embrace. Wrex watched in utter shock; the blue glow around her body dimmed the longer the Drell held her. 

“Why Wrex?” Garrus asked, angered that Shepard had to prove herself. 

“The Shepard I knew would have never been able to touch me,” Wrex answered roughly. He saw understanding dawn in the Turian’s eyes. 

“The only reason she can do that is because of Kolyat. Otherwise she wouldn’t be touching anyone,” Garrus said quietly as he glanced back at the two of them. 

“I’ve never known Shepard to be soft,” Wrex said, trying to make a wise crack. 

“Trust me Wrex, he is the only thing stopping me from wiping you out,” came Sania’s muffled reply. 

Wrex’s eyes widened, shifting uneasily in his seat. He thought he was in the clear when he saw her eyes clear up, but upon meeting the blue Drell’s gaze, he began to worry again. He didn’t doubt for a moment that Shepard was more than willing to kill him at that moment. What concerned him even more was that he could see the same idea crossing the Drell’s mind. Would that Drell let Shepard go so she could kill him? Wrex sat waiting for the inevitable.

Sania backed away from Kolyat, “You can’t kill him… that is my pleasure alone,” she smirked when she saw the look in his eyes. 

“Shepard, you wouldn’t kill me over a test,” Wrex chuckled. He tried to make light of his mistake, but everyone heard the unease in his voice. 

“Kill you? No, I had something else in mind,” Shepard grinned nefariously. 

Wrex watched her for a moment and knew what she was talking about. He glanced at the other Krogan nearby and wanted to see if he was losing face in their eyes. He was relieved that he wasn’t; they were looking at Shepard in fear as well.

“So Shepard, why did you come here?” Wrex asked, changing the subject before he said something that might upset her more. 

“I have a young Krogan that is having a problem, and a Salarian looking for a student of his,” She said coolly, unable to disguise her icy tone. 

“You can talk to our head tracker; he’ll have more of an idea where that Salarian is. Where is this krogan you spoke of?” Wrex asked. His eyes widened as a large young Krogan walked towards him. 

Kolyat moved over to his father and Garrus while Shepard spoke with Wrex about Grunt. “Is this usual with Wrex and Shepard?” he asked Garrus. 

“No, that's the first time I’ve seen Wrex treat Shepard like that,” Garrus muttered. 

“I hope he doesn’t challenge Shepard anymore,” Kolyat sighed; he remembered the look in her eyes. 

“Don’t worry, they’ll work it out,” Garrus said, making an attempt to smirk. 

Kolyat turned a withering glare towards him. “I take it you didn’t notice the betrayal in her eyes?” he asked sardonically. 

Garrus shifted in place uneasily, not sure what to say. 

They stopped talking as they watched Shepard walk away with Grunt. Kolyat watched her carefully, making sure that there was no need for him to follow her. He’d bet credits that this mission hadn’t gone the way she had wanted; he just worried how the rest of the mission would go. Shepard had brought him there as a precaution, but now his role was going to be more than that. She was on edge and that was dangerous.   
Kolyat jumped when he heard Sania’s voice behind him.

“We’ll be back in about an hour. Garrus, you’re up,” she ordered.

~oooooooo~

Kolyat and his father moved around the encampment waiting for Shepard’s return. Kolyat was starting to worry; Sania had been gone for almost two hours. 

“It looks like they are back,” Thane motioned to a haggard Sania making her way to them. 

“You look like hell,” Kolyat commented. 

Thane waited for Shepard’s angry rebuttal to that comment, but was shocked when it didn’t come. 

“Aren’t you the charmer,” she chuckled. “Thane, you’re coming with me on Mordin’s mission.” She told the older Drell. 

“How’s your energy doing?” Kolyat asked, looking at her with concern. 

“Fine, for now,” she answered him. “Thane we will be leaving shortly, I still have to talk with Wrex.”

The both of them watched her walk off. Kolyat was worried; he could see a slight limp as she moved. He had noticed the blood on her neck and wondered what happened. His attention turned to Garrus as he moved towards them. 

“What happened to her?” Kolyat asked. 

“She got knocked to the ground by four Varren. Grunt and I were fighting off the rest of the pack and couldn’t get to her,” Garrus sighed. 

Kolyat noticed the Turian looked like hell too. He was glad he hadn’t gone with them. 

“Did Grunt pass his rite of passage?” Thane asked, watching the young Krogan who stood at Shepard’s side. 

“He better have; we had to take down a Thresher Maw on foot,” Garrus growled. 

Thane’s eyes widened when he heard this. He too was happy he hadn’t gone; that was one fight he was glad he missed. 

Shepard moved back over to her group with Mordin following her. “Thane, are you ready to go?” She asked, interrupting their talk. 

“Are you sure you’re ready for this mission, Shepard? We heard what you had to do on your last mission,” Thane asked with concern. 

“Don’t worry, I’ll be fine,” she muttered. What she really wanted to do was sleep for the next twelve hours. 

“…And your leg?” Kolyat said; a pointed look towards the leg she was favoring. 

“It’s fine!” She snapped, walking away from them. 

Thane and Mordin followed her, looking at each other worriedly. 

~oooooooo~

Kolyat paced the area near the throne. Garrus was leaning against a boulder, resting from the exhausting rite of passage. Grunt had vanished; Kolyat had a fairly good idea what he was up to. 

“How much longer do you think it will take them?” Kolyat asked; his frustration evident. 

“However long it takes,” Garrus muttered, keeping his eyes closed as he relaxed. 

Kolyat glanced up when he noticed movement peripherally. Wrex stood before them with a curious look on his face. 

“So what’s your relationship with Shepard?” Wrex asked belligerently. 

“What concern is it of yours?” Kolyat retorted cockily. 

“Don’t test me, boy,” Wrex growled, taking a threatening step towards him. 

Kolyat wasn’t intimidated. Sania had explained to him that Krogans sneered at people who showed fear or bowed out too easily. He knew he had to face this Krogan without running scared, even though the thought had crossed his mind. However, he wasn’t stupid; he knew this Krogan could kill him easily. 

“What exactly did you want to know?” Kolyat smirked.

Wrex narrowed his eyes at the kid. He knew he couldn’t hurt him too badly, so he couldn’t force answers out of him. Shepard would kill him if he tried to harm him, of that he was sure. 

“How is it you can touch Shepard when she’s glowing?” Wrex asked calmly. 

“That is an answer we don’t know,” Garrus answered for Kolyat. 

“What’s your relationship with Shepard?” Wrex asked, his eyes turning hard. Shepard may be mad at him for what he did, but he would still protect her. He owed her that much; she’d saved his life many a time when they went after Saren. 

“That is not your business,” Kolyat snapped, not backing down from the cold look in the Krogan’s eyes. He knew Sania wouldn’t want him to talk about her personal life. 

“I could make it my business,” Wrex grinned menacingly. 

“Yes, I’m sure you could, but what would Sania say when she found out your pushing for personal information on her?” Kolyat asked slyly. 

Wrex glared at him for a moment; with a grunt he left the Drell alone. 

~oooooooo~

Shepard slowly walked back towards Wrex’s throne. Her biotics were out of control, and Thane was looking at her worriedly as she limped her way. He wanted to help her, but he knew that was too dangerous at the moment. His gaze searched the area for his son but he couldn’t see him anywhere. That worried him; he thought for sure he would find his son pacing nearby. 

“Thane, do you see your son?” She asked; her voice thick with fatigue.

“No, Shepard, I do not,” Thane muttered. 

“Wrex had better not have killed him,” Sania growled, her biotics flaring brighter. 

Thane worriedly stepped back a few paces. Mordin left them there and headed for the shuttle. They both stopped when they reached the throne. Wrex looked at Shepard with concern in his eyes.

“I take it you found the Salarian?” he asked cautiously. 

“We did. He’s dead now,” Sania answered coldly. She looked around and still didn’t see Kolyat or Garrus. “Where’s Kolyat?” she asked. 

“He’s waiting for you at the shuttle,” he grunted. 

“Fine, we’re heading out, thanks for the help.” She nodded at the Krogan, tired from both missions. She slowly trudged off to the shuttle with Thane following her. 

Kolyat saw her as she limped her way towards the shuttle. He moved quickly, grabbing hold of her arm and pulling it around his shoulder so that she leaned on him for support. She rested her head on his shoulder, sighing with relief. When they entered the shuttle, Garrus was sleeping, taking up two seats, leaving only one seat left. Kolyat lifted a tired Sania, sitting her on his lap; it didn’t take long for her to fall asleep. It had taken her a day and a half to do both missions. Kolyat knew she should have split it up, but she had been stubborn. 

Thane watched as his son held Shepard. He blinked a few times, wanting to remember the moment. Kolyat looked at peace, an expression Thane had never seen on his son before. He smiled slightly to himself as he turned his attention to look out the window, giving his son what little privacy he could.


	9. Chapter 9

Shepard sat at her computer once again. Lately, she felt like she was living at her computer. If she wasn’t on missions, she was here going over reports, stats of the crew, and medical files that might affect the crew, from Mordin.   
Right now Thane was her concern, his lung capacity was lessening. She didn’t know what to do or how to help him. She asked Mordin to look into it but she wasn’t holding her breath. She glanced at Kolyat as he read, she knew she could be the one to tell him, but Thane had better do something soon.   
“Are you heading to see Mordin?” Kolyat asked, without looking up from the same page he had read twenty times. He was running out of ideas to keep his hands to himself. If he touched her again he didn’t know if he could trust himself to stop, so he kept his distance.   
“No, I’ve got too much work here,” Sania lied through her teeth; she really didn’t want to have this meeting with the Salarian. She tried having the same meeting with Chakwas, but she was too motherly for Sania’s sanity. So her other alternative was Mordin. At least Mordin wouldn’t sit there giving her worried looks, or lectures on things that she already knew.   
“Sania, you need to go to this appointment,” Kolyat told her, trying to keep his voice calm. He knew she was tired of being poked and prodded; it brought back memories of her time in “training”. It took him a while to even get her to express when something bothered her or even to admit it out aloud.   
“Kolyat, don’t start,” she growled, scowling at the Drell hiding behind the book. She wouldn’t doubt it if he hid behind there just to hide his smirk.   
“Well it doesn’t matter anyways; you know Mordin will make his way up here…eventually.” He grinned at her, peering over the edge of his book.   
His grin grew as her eyes turned murderous. He watched as she muttered something that he was glad he didn’t catch and stormed out of the room. He knew he would have to pay when she got back. The information Mordin had been sending him about humans had been helpful, giving him warnings of what might come to be.   
~oooooooooooo~  
Mordin glanced up from his work as the Commander stormed into his lab, automatically taking a seat on one of the beds. He raised a brow, wondering if it was safe to do the scans. They needed to be done, and they both knew it, but that didn’t mean much.   
He walked over to her with one of the scanners in hand, the other two tucked in the pockets of his lab coat.   
Her eyes narrowed. “Just get it done,” she growled, lying back on the bed.   
“Scans are needed. Need to find out why body is not proceeding naturally,” Mordin stated stiffly.   
“I know, just get it done,” she muttered.  
He ran the first scan and scowled at what they showed. He didn’t understand it, she should have been menstruating already but her body wasn’t. He took out the other scanner and ran it over her body; it showed everything else to be working properly. The last scanner he ran over her head, near where her biotics lay. He was shocked at what he saw; it was very advanced technology, though he could understand that with her. She would need it for how much energy her body produces.   
“Shepard, almost finished, will retrieve information for you in a moment. Have you felt cramping, mood swings of late?” Mordin asked her.   
“Yes Mordin, I know my menstruation will be starting soon. I’m not that clueless,” she snapped coldly.   
He raised his brow; the scans had shown differently, but she was a human and would know her own body.   
“Definite mood swings,” Mordin grinned. “Do you have everything humans need for that time?” he asked calmly.   
“Yeah, Chakwas gave me everything, along with parental guidance and the scared, worried looks,” she told him tiredly.   
“Does Kolyat know what is about to happen?” Mordin asked her.   
“Why should he?” She asked snidely.   
Mordin wisely kept his mouth shut. He already planned on sending Kolyat information he would need just so he’d live a while longer. This was going to be a hard time for everyone on board the ship; Shepard’s biotics would be more volatile than usual. He just hoped Kolyat would be able to help and not try the Commander’s patience.   
Mordin stood there for a moment and redid the one scan just to make sure. The readings were the same, but maybe he was reading them wrong. Though he didn’t think so; he didn’t make mistakes like that.   
“Scans still show that no menstruation is forth coming,” Mordin muttered out loud.   
“Well, now there is good news,” she smirked sitting up on the bed.   
Mordin raised a brow ridge; her attitude suggested that her menstruation should be starting soon. He shrugged his shoulder giving her a vague motion that she could leave.   
He watched as she walked out of the office and quickly sent detailed information to Kolyat. He would need to know if he wanted to survive the next few days.   
~oooooo~  
Shepard stormed into her room, her lower back and stomach was aching. As if that wasn’t bad enough, her body burned for something; she felt restless, frustrated and her mind wasn’t focusing like it should. She didn’t know what the hell her body was trying to tell her, but she was not impressed.   
She glanced around her room, not spotting Kolyat anywhere. She wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or saddened that he wasn’t there. She had finally gotten so used to him being up there, that when he wasn’t, the room was actually lonely. What she really missed was his hands on her; he hadn’t touched her for days, though she didn’t know why. She sighed, rubbing her lower back, trying to ease the ache that was there. But that was useless; she couldn’t get the right angle.   
She gave up and was about to focus on her computer when she heard the bathroom door open behind her. She was surprised since she hadn’t heard any sounds when she first entered the room. He came out in only his leather pants. She bit her lip hard when a gasp tried to break free; her body throbbed painfully.   
Kolyat was just leaving the washroom after taking a shower. He preferred the privacy of Shepard’s shower; it was better than being stared at by the other crew members. He wasn’t sure how his father put up with it, but his father could easily ignore things that Kolyat couldn’t.   
Kolyat watched as her eyes widened, her mouth opening slightly as she gazed at him. He grinned wickedly, moving more confidently towards her. He stopped a few feet from her, not wanting to push her, but enjoying her reaction. He watched as she shifted uneasily in her chair, watching him with heated eyes that burned through his body. He could feel himself straining against his pants and wondered if she noticed at all.   
His smirk grew as she rose to her feet. For the first time he could see certainty in her eyes as she moved towards him. Come hell or high water, he was going to control himself and allow her to set the pace- even if it killed him.   
His eyes never left hers, even when she stopped only inches from him. He could feel the heat rolling off of her body as he fought for control to not to touch her. Slowly, she raised a hand, running it along his bare chest. He bit back the groan but couldn’t stop the shiver.   
Kolyat snaked a hand around her waist, feeling the tension in her muscles. He dug his fingers into the muscles, trying to loosen them. He grinned as her eyes fluttered closed and her head fell forward onto her chest. Bending down slowly so as not to startle her, he leaned his head on top of hers, moaning as her breath feathered across his sensitive scales.   
Sania was about to say something, but a gasp escaped her when she felt his fingers digging into sore muscles at the base of her spine. He continued his ministrations, watching her closely with a grin as she moaned, leaning her head against his chest.   
He waited until her muscles loosened up before he made to move his hands away. She gave an annoyed moan and squirmed against him. Kolyat chuckled, returning his hands to her lower back once more. This time he didn’t massage the muscles; he rubbed her back in long sweeping motions. Each sweep downwards found him coming closer to her rear. She didn’t glare at him when his fingers brushed against her there, nor did she protest. So he made his intentions known, grabbing the firm muscles and pulling her to him.   
Sania lifted startled eyes to him. He leaned down, taking her mouth in a slow languorous kiss until she moaned into his mouth. Her hands clutched his arms, pressing the soft mounds of her chest firmly against him. He stifled the moan building in his throat.   
Sania was basking in the feel of his hands on her. Her breath hitched as she felt him pressing closer to her, her body burning once more. She gasped as he pinned her against a nearby wall; his leg trapped between hers, creating more fire. She never took her eyes off of his. She feared this, but she also yearned for these feelings. She wasn’t a hundred percent sure what they meant, or what they were leading to, but a part of her wanted to find out.   
Kolyat moved his leg slightly, never taking his eyes off of hers. She moaned low and throatily, and he had to fight himself not to strip her bare and see what other noises she could make. His hand slipped beneath her shirt, loving the feel of her muscles as they twitched beneath her smooth warm skin.   
Sania felt like she was about to explode; she was throbbing between her legs, her underwear was soaked, her skin felt hot, and extremely sensitive to his touch. Having his hand on her back was almost too much, but she didn’t want to stop. She was tired of stopping when her body screamed at her to continue. She was tired of how her body throbbed throughout the day when they stopped, or how he wouldn’t leave her mind.   
She felt his erection press against her as he rocked against her, fire shooting through her. Her body was telling her that she was near something, not to stop. Her hips gyrated against him of their own volition. Her mouth searched his, kissing him thoroughly, exploring his dark recesses until she broke away to breathe.   
She cried out as he pushed her away roughly. She watched as he placed his hands on her desk leaning forward, panting heavily. She reached out to him gingerly.   
“Don’t touch me,” he growled.   
She could hear the strain in his voice. She snatched her hand back quickly, and without thought she backed away from him, putting distance between them. Kolyat noticed and cursed himself for his stupidity. He didn’t try stopping her as she left the room. He knew he had screwed up; her trust was a fragile thing.  
~ooooooooooooo~  
Sania had to leave, he was already upset about something and her body was screaming at her. She was afraid if she had stayed she would have done something stupid and touched him, even kissed him again. She wanted to feel his moans vibrating against her body; she wanted to know it was her that brought those heady sounds to him. Anytime his body reacted to something she did gave her pleasure, not just physical but emotional too. She was starting to enjoy his taunting grins or his smirks when he wanted to get a rise out of her. She trusted him more than anyone on this ship and she didn’t want to ruin it.   
She’d read over the information Mordin had given her. At first, she hadn’t believed it, but now she knew those diagrams and explanations were the truth. She hadn’t watched the videos yet, she wasn’t sure if she was going to. Though the diagrams about Drell anatomy didn’t shock her; Kolyat had answered any questions that she had. The first time she asked a question, she thought he would have looked down on her, or would have scoffed that she didn’t know the answer but he hadn’t.   
She shook her head, breaking herself from those thoughts. She smirked when she saw she stood in the practice area. This was her intended location but she didn’t know how she made it here, not with her mind elsewhere. The room was empty, much to her relief.   
She went to the center of the mats and lay down. She allowed her biotics free since no one was down there. She used her energy to feel her area, the crates, the mats, the punching bag and everything else in the large room.   
~oooooooo~  
Kolyat left Shepard’s room; Garrus and the rest of the crew were sitting at the tables.   
“Man, Kolyat you look like hell,” Garrus muttered when he saw him. Thane turned in his chair to better see his son.   
His frills were starting to swell, they were a bright red. His usual blue scales where a slightly deeper blue than usual, his eyes were darker than usual. Thane knew exactly what was wrong with his son and wondered how many more times this would happen. He was surprised that his son was still sane and even able to stay up in Shepard’s room without losing control.   
Thane rose to his feet, moving towards his son and leading him to Life Support. Once the doors closed behind them Kolyat leaned against them, a deep rumbling purr escaping him. Thane stepped away from his son giving him a lot of room. His body was still in a sexual haze; until he calmed down, he would be making more embarrassing noises. Ones that Thane tried to ignore.   
“Kolyat!” Thane tried to snap his son out of his haze. The younger Drell was still in memories, replaying something over again. Thane moved quickly, shaking his son.   
Kolyat snapped out of his thought, staring at his father for a moment. Not understanding how he got there. He blushed when he realized what state he was in as he stood in front of his father. Talk about being caught red frilled, he thought sarcastically.   
“You can’t keep this up, you’ll drive yourself insane,” Thane muttered, feeling sorry for his son.   
“I have no choice. If it was mother, wouldn’t you do whatever it took to make her happy?” Kolyat asked quietly.  
Thane’s shoulders slumped, his son was right; if his mother had the same problem as Shepard, he would have done the same. “Go take a cold shower,” Thane told him.   
“No, I’ll be fine in a few minutes,” His son muttered. Thane shook his head at his stubborn son.   
“What are you going to do when this becomes too much and you lose control?” Thane asked coldly.   
“I won’t lose control; if I was to do so, it would have happened today,” Kolyat bit out, scowling at his father.   
“You don’t know that,” Thane stated calmly.   
“Yes, father, I do know that.” He muttered, closing his eyes as his body came back under control. “Where is Sania?” he asked.   
“I haven’t seen her, so either CIC deck or the practice room, but I would leave her be for today. You’re not ready to see her.” Thane answered.   
Kolyat stared at his father coldly before storming out of the room.   
Thane watched as the doors closed behind his son. “EDI what is the location of Commander Shepard?”   
“The Commander is in the practice area,” She replied.   
“Thank you, IDE.” Thane stood there deep in thought, wondering if he should keep watch on those two incase his son lost control. Kolyat was young and didn’t have the training Thane had for control. The chances were high that he would lose control and Shepard would pay the price.   
Thane glanced up at the ventilation vent above him; with one smooth leap into the shaft he made his way to the lower deck, where his irrational son and Shepard were.  
~ooooooooo~  
Kolyat entered the training area and stopped. Sania stood in the center of the mat, her biotics radiating around her. Kolyat stood there dazed as he watched her, his body took over as his mind had one thought- Beautiful. His legs moved him until he was standing right in front of her.   
Sania’s eyes widened as she saw Kolyat standing there; she was amazed that he was down there. She thought for sure when she went up to her bedroom that he would be completely gone.   
He moved right into her path, and she stopped with a questioning look. His emotions had been strung tight since she left, and he hadn’t known whether she hated him or not. He pulled her roughly into his arms, his mouth descending without thought, capturing her lips in a heated kiss. Her lips parted with a sigh and he took advantage; her biotics washing over him causing him to groan and press more firmly against her. She moaned, her fingers biting into his leathers, her tongue tangled with his. He walked her backwards, until one of the crates stopped her. He grinded himself against her; she tensed for a moment before melting into him.   
His one hand was laced through her silky hair, tilting her head back further so he could deepen the kiss. She broke the kiss, panting for breath as he trailed his lips along her neck. He moved back up her neck tasting every inch of her skin in the process. He groaned as he looked at her, her lips red and swollen, green eyes dark like the sea on a stormy night. This time it was her that instigated the kiss, rising on her toes, her tongue flicking against his lips. He purred, meeting her tongue with his. His other hand slid down to her firm rear, hoisting her up and using the crates to support some of her weight. She hesitated; she wasn’t sure what to do, but he found it endearing.   
Trailing heated kisses along her jaw, he whispered in her ear, “Wrap your legs around my waist.”   
She whimpered when she felt his hot breath on her skin. She did as he suggested, gasping as the hard length of him brushed against her; her body arched into him, creating more friction. He thought about stopping before they went too far; he knew she wasn’t ready to finish what had been started, but he also knew leaving her like this would be torture for her. Especially, since she was finally allowing him to give her a small taste of the pleasure that could be had.   
He pushed her more firmly against the crate, rotating his hips to create friction on her sensitive spots. He had read Mordin’s information and studied the diagrams of the human body. He was pretty sure what he was doing would be pleasing to her.   
Her legs tightened around his waist; her teeth bit into his shoulder, muffling her cries of pleasure. He felt her legs tighten even more as her body moved with his. He almost shouted when he felt her teeth clamp hard onto his flesh, breaking through skin and marking him. He could feel his own release building; he knew he was getting very close. He captured her mouth once more in a bruising kiss as he thrust hard against her. He swallowed her cry of pleasure as a shudder raced through her body, his own release roaring through him. He held her tightly to him, still feeling the tremors racking her body.   
He looked down at her sated face; there was awe and fear and uncertainty. A small hesitant smile formed on her lips as she gave him a shy kiss. His body finally relaxed after months of torture; it wasn’t quite what he was hungry for but it was better than nothing. He watched her closely, making sure she was alright, and that her release hadn’t scared her. He knew he had done the right thing, allowing her to find her pleasure.   
He stared deeply into her eyes, and knew without a doubt that he felt more for Sania that he let on. He leaned his forehead against hers, his body starting to react once again with her nearness; it didn’t help that her legs were still wrapped around his waist, or that he still had her pinned against the crates. He knew he should let her down, but he couldn’t.   
She reached up a tentative hand to the frills on the side of his face. He caught her hand in his, kissing her knuckles.   
“No, it’s not a good idea to touch those right now,” he murmured with an amused expression. He would explain it to her later.   
He had read Mordin’s information packet and learnt a lot from them, since Sania barely even knew her own body. But when it came to his own and questions she had, he answered them no matter how personal or intimate. That was how he had gained her trust, by being open and never looking down on her for her lack of knowledge. Since he met her, never once did he hide. He always answered her questions, no matter how mundane they were.   
~ooooooooooo~  
Thane watched the aftermath from the ducts. When he saw that his son wasn’t going to lose control, he had sat in the shadows placing himself in deep meditation, but still aware of what was going down below him. He hated that he had to do this, but his son’s condition earlier forced him to do so.   
After a while, when the room below him went silent, Thane braced himself and took a hesitant look. They were still wearing their clothes and locked together in an intimate embrace, but he knew what happened by the look on his son’s face. He also knew something else; his son was stronger than he gave him credit for. He kept thinking of him as a child when he was so far from that.   
Thane made his way back to his quarters, grabbed his son a change of clothes and laid them out on his cot. He left the room and headed to see his friend; he needed someone to talk to. He just hoped that Garrus wouldn’t be too uncomfortable with this.   
He felt out of his element now. His son was more of a man than he thought, but it was more than that. He was able to express his emotions; he was able to allow himself to be free, where as with all the training Thane had, he couldn’t do the same. His stoic expression was a part of him; his distant attitude was, as well.   
In a way, he envied his son.


	10. Chapter 10

Sania stood in front of her bed with a look of horror. On her bed lay a black dress with spaghetti straps for sleeves, and it looked like it would come to rest just above her knees. This was the last time she was allowing Kasumi near a store on her behalf. Never again!  
Her eyes veered over to the shoes that were sitting beside the dress. They had heels! She had never walked in anything that had heels before. She didn’t know how high those heels were, but as far as she was concerned they were too high.   
“So are you going to try it on or just stare at it?” Kolyat asked, chuckling on the couch behind her.   
“You want it worn so badly, you put the fucking thing on,” She groused; a small smirk lit her features at the thought of him prancing around in a dress. That would be too funny, she thought.   
Kolyat walked over to her, glancing down at the dress on the bed. “I don’t think the color would suit me,” he smirked.   
She watched him nervously as he picked up the dress, checking it out. His brow ridge rose when he looked at the back of the dress. He turned it slowly towards her, and her eyes widened; there was no back, and what she thought were sleeves were straps that clasped around the neck.   
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. Why doesn’t she just have me dancing around naked,” she snapped, sneering at the dress in disgust. She looked sharply at Kolyat when she heard a deep growl from him.   
“You dancing around naked wouldn’t be prudent,” he hissed.   
Kolyat dropped the dress back onto the bed, his body automatically reacting with the image of her dancing around the room naked. However, the thought of anyone else seeing her do so made his blood boil.   
“You should try this on. If it doesn’t fit then we can have it altered before we leave the Citadel,” he commented trying to keep his calm; all he wanted to do was toss her onto the bed and do everything he had been dreaming about.   
He moved away from temptation to sit back on the couch, his father’s words still playing in his mind. He didn’t know if he could do what his father told him to. It was going to be near impossible.   
Shepard and Kolyat were sitting with his father in Life Support. Thane was explaining to them the best cover they could have for this party. What he said irked Kolyat to no end.   
“Hawk needs to know that Shepard is available,” Thane told them.   
Shepard didn’t seem to care; to her this was an act, just as his father said it was.   
“What do you mean available?” Kolyat asked with a growl.   
“Meaning that you are there for show only; you’re her date in words only,” his father snapped.   
Kolyat watched Sania as she arched a brow in response, his father’s words sinking in.   
“What? Why?” he finally cried out, aghast.  
“Shepard is known as a strong woman; if she went to that party with someone that she was permanent with, it would harm his ego knowing that he can’t have her. If he knows there is a chance that he could have her, then he would let you be so you can do what is necessary for the mission. Whereas he wouldn’t let the two of you be and the mission would fail.” His father stated coldly.   
Kolyat watched his father ask Sania to leave. He followed her out with his eyes, watching the sway of her hips, missing her presence as soon as the doors closed after her.   
“Kolyat, every instinct you have for the Commander, you will have to control. If you can’t, then Garrus or myself will have to take your place,” his father told him bluntly.   
Kolyat took that as a challenge and growled at his father in warning. “I will not leave her side,” he bit out coldly.   
“It’s these exact instincts I am talking about. If you do this during the party you’ll be caught sooner rather than later,” Thane muttered tiredly.  
Kolyat sat there quietly, thinking of what his father said. If their cover was blown Sania would be in danger and he couldn’t have that.   
“Fine, I’ll try my best, but that’s all I can offer,” Kolyat grumbled not meeting his father’s eyes.   
Kolyat blinked both sets of eyelids to clear his thoughts. Sania was nowhere in the room; he was about to go and search for her, but her curses coming from the bathroom stopped him. He chuckled as he listened to her. Without thinking about the repercussions, he walked over to the door and was shocked when it opened for him. She stood there trying to fasten the clasp behind her neck.   
He stood in place, staring at her; the dress hugged her every curve. The tops of her breasts were on display, showing the soft dark skin that he was yearning to touch. Her legs looked much longer with the heels on; now she came up to his eyes instead of his chin. His only thought was that she was breath taking.   
He walked up behind her, brushing her hands away as he fastened the clasp. The smooth skin of her back was on display, stopping just below the small of her back. Kolyat swallowed thickly as he dragged his finger down her smooth skin, watching it flex and twitch beneath his touch.   
“Don’t start anything,” Sania whispered hotly; pleasure that she was now used to rushed through her. All he had to do was touch her and her body heated in anticipation for him.   
Kolyat moved closer, purring deeply; he was pleased at how strongly she reacted towards him. “I’ll let Kasumi know alterations aren’t necessary,” Kolyat murmured; he moved away from her quickly before they went too far.   
~oooooooooooo~  
Kasumi chuckled as she watched Shepard shift nervously in her seat. She was proud of the change. Shepard now knew how to walk in heels and she was wearing makeup, the last was no small feat. It had taken Kolyat to talk some sense into her. That hadn’t been easy either, but in the end she allowed them to dress her up. She had loved the crew’s reaction when she showed off Shepard. The dress had fit her like a glove, showing curves that were accentuated by the dress. Her thick black hair was pulled up into an intricate bun with wisps hanging down, highlighting her face. Her green eyes stood out with the emerald earrings and necklace she had on.   
Poor Jacob almost choked on his food when he saw her; Garrus looked stunned for a moment. Even Mordin had reacted, his eyes widening for a moment before he smirked. Thane had nodded his head in approval, but Kolyat’s reaction was the best. He had been stunned, moving towards her with an intent look on his face. They all could have had a gun pointed at him and she didn’t think he would have noticed.   
Kasumi chuckled quietly as Shepard jumped when the shuttle doors opened. She wasn’t sure how to introduce the two. It was only supposed to be Shepard, but when she actually thought about it, it was a very good idea that Kolyat was going with them. He had worked hard with his training, and he could keep Shepard’s biotics under control.   
Shepard stepped out of the shuttle, taking in her surroundings. A large mansion stood before her, along with a statue of Saren. That pissed her off, having to see him again even though it was a statue. She took the lead, walking towards the stairs as if she owned the place. In her training that was what they taught her- if you are uncertain of the people, don’t cower; own the place; never let anyone see your fear.   
She gave the guard a scathing glance when he tried to stop her, but her eyes were drawn to their host as he made his way to them. He wore a charming smile, but his eyes gave him away. He was a viper, and she knew it.   
Kolyat stayed behind her with a confident smirk as he watched Hawk check her out. He knew he had no choice but to play the part of toy for Shepard. He hated it, but the look on Hawk’s face said he played his part well.   
Sania introduced herself giving her alias, and then she turned and introduced Kolyat. Within minutes they were escorted into the mansion. The unfortunate part was Kasumi wasn’t allowed to enter. Kolyat had noticed a slight shift in Hawk’s expression when he looked at Kasumi, and he briefly wondered if their ruse was up.   
They roamed the place, eavesdropping on some conversations, nothing important really learned, or at least Kolyat didn’t think so. Shepard had perked up a few times on some conversations. They slowly made their way down to where the safe was. Kasumi was already there waiting for them.   
Sania had keened in on a certain conversation while she walked by, something regarding a Doctor Lyon. He was an old doctor from the facility. She tapped on her omni-tool so that the conversation was recorded.   
She waited as Kasumi checked out the security system. They needed a sample Hawk’s voice, his DNA, and finger prints. That was going to be interesting to get; it made the mission a lot better, now that she had something to focus on rather than Hawk’s eyes on her whenever she neared him. He gave her the creeps, and she knew there was more to him than met the eye. She could sense the biotics coming off of him.   
Their first stop was to talk to Hawk. They had to get him talking, which was far too easy; the man loved the sound of his own voice way too much. They only needed a few seconds before they got a full speech.   
The DNA was trickier; breaking into Hawk’s suite wasn’t easy. Finding the DNA was a tedious process, and having Kolyat there helping her search, with his heated eyes following her, made it even more interesting. She had noticed his eyes flickering to the bed a few times and that made her wonder.   
Finger prints had been easier to acquire. When they had everything, they made their way to Kasumi; it was almost impossible with the way Hawk watched her. So she had Kolyat go ahead of her while she waited for him in the party. She fought off a cringe as Hawk made his way towards her. She desperately wished that Kolyat would hurry up.   
“It looks like your companion has disappeared on you,” he smiled, his eyes reminding her of a large cat that just found its prey.   
“So it would seem,” Shepard answered, fighting to keep calm and not say what she was actually thinking.   
“A beautiful woman like you shouldn’t be alone,” he purred, looping her arm through his as he led her to the stairs to his room.   
“Why are we going up here?” She asked; a hint of curiosity to her words instead of the sting she hoped to convey.   
“I want to show you something that you will find interesting,” he said slyly with glittering eyes. She kept her mouth shut and didn’t protest as they entered his room. Her eyes automatically flicked to his bed in wariness but he took it another way. “Don’t worry, all in due time,” he murmured running his hand along her back before cupping her rear.   
She fought not to hit him, but mostly now she was fighting her biotics. Just for that one move she wanted him dead. She kept her body still, fighting the shiver of revulsion that slid down her spine.   
Sania couldn’t help the shudder that swept through her when she felt his breath on her neck. The only thing she could do was hide her face in his neck so he wouldn’t see the disgust in her eyes or on her face. He went to touch her once more, but she couldn’t take it. She quickly moved away, smiling coyly at him, and breathing easier now that she didn’t have his hands on her.   
A few months ago she would have been in panic mode and Hawk would have been dead. She was glad that she was so used to someone’s touch now. She made sure the couch was in between them as she planned on getting out of there without killing him. That was her last option, though it was slowly becoming the first.   
Sania kept her eyes on Hawk, wondering if her plan would work. Her hands were already glowing; she was fighting her biotics already. She remembered Kolyat telling her many times that her biotics could bring pleasure. She strutted towards Hawk, not quite touching him yet; she gave a playful shake of her head when she saw him reach for her. She placed one biotic glowing hand on his chest, wondering if she just made a fatal mistake. She shoved her energy into him and watched as he gasped for air, his spine bowing. He kept his eyes tightly closed as pleasure or pain raced through him, she wasn’t sure which and wasn’t about to check.   
She shoved a little bit more, and he cried out as shudders wracked his body. She moved her hand up slowly making sure that her biotics left a glowing trail along his skin. She closed her eyes, her mind made up; she shoved more biotic force into him, and his hips bucked as he moaned loudly.   
She smirked as she watched him crumple to the floor. She knelt down beside him, grinning wickedly. “Pity, that was disappointing; thought you would have more staying power than that,” she murmured before rising to her feet. She missed the hateful look that he tossed her way, nor did she see the look of retribution.   
As she entered the vault, Sania made her way to Kolyat’s side.   
He took a whiff of the air, and his eyes narrowed, glaring down at her. “What happened? I can smell him all over you!” he spat.   
“Hawk decided that I needed to see his room personally. Right now he’s recovering; I used my biotics the way you taught me,” she replied pointedly.   
“Did he live?” Kolyat asked with a grin. What he had taught her brought both pain and pleasure, too much of either could kill a person.   
“Yeah, he did unfortunately,” Sania mumbled as they watched Kasumi work. The large doors opened before them, opening the vault and revealing the statue of Saren.   
“Now all we need to do is find the grey box and we can leave this place,” Kasumi said.   
Shepard put on her armor over the dress. She felt so much better with the armor on, than in that dress. If she had it her way that dress would be set to burn shortly, but they didn’t have time for that at the moment. On board the ship she could get rid of it that way; she couldn’t wait to see the dress curdle in the grasp of her biotic fire.   
Kolyat growled low in his throat as he thought of Sania being handled by that man. He wanted to go up to Hawk’s bedroom and teach him a lesson, which he wouldn’t live through, for putting his hands on her. He was glad that he didn’t need to act like he didn’t care anymore.   
They were in the vault and were almost finished with the mission. Or so he had hoped, but no mission Sania was on ever turned out as it should.   
~oooooooooooooo~  
Hawk’s holographic face taunted them. Shepard was seeing red; she wanted that man dead in the worst possible way. Listening to Kolyat’s growls, she was sure that he agreed. She let her biotics flow over her, readying for the fight that she knew was coming.   
“Ah, Commander Shepard, I should have recognized you, but unfortunately I didn’t. A mistake I won’t make again. I can honestly say, though, it was a true pleasure to meet you. A handy talent you have; if someone could leash that power, the things you could do with it would be amazing. Too bad I have to kill you; I could teach you so much.” He purred menacingly.   
Kolyat watched as her eyes flashed blue, rage burning through them. He smirked as a statue beside them shattered into a million little pieces, Shepard’s handy work.   
“Leave Shepard alone, don’t touch her and don’t get in her way,” Kolyat cautioned Kasumi who stood behind them.  
“No!” Hawk yelled as he eyed Shepard’s carnage of his valued possession. “You’ll pay for that,’ he sneered.  
“I can’t wait,” Shepard grinned evilly.  
Kolyat watched in awe, he had never seen her like this. She radiated blue, her biotics whirled around her, and her eyes were like burning blue fire. She’s absolutely beautiful, he thought as he watched her.   
He took out his gun, shooting at anything she lifted in the air just like Garrus had taught him. He remembered that lesson well.   
Don’t worry about anything on the ground when you are working with Shepard, and since you’re taking my place as the one to watch her back, your focus should be on the air. What she lifts, you kill,” Garrus ordered him.   
“And what happens if she doesn’t lift anything?” Kolyat asked him.   
“Then find cover and pray she still has control, but for you I don’t think that will be a concern,” Garrus quipped.  
“So, what the worst I can expect?” Kolyat asked; this would be the first time actually fighting by her side.   
“The worst…Shepard levels the building with everyone in it,” Garrus answered with haunted eyes.   
“You’ve seen her do that?” Kolyat asked, astonished.  
“Once, and I don’t ever want to see that again. We were up against some slavers. They had children captive, and they killed them in front of us; we couldn’t have stopped them in time. Shepard lost it, completely lost it. Wrex and I had to run for the exit and we just barely made it. The building wasn’t large but when she was through, it was reduced to rubble with everything dead inside,” Garrus whispered. “When you see her starting to levitate you know she’s lost it.”  
Kolyat simply nodded in response, not sure what to say.   
He shook his head to clear his thoughts so he would be help for Sania. She lifted four men and he took a steadying breath, firing off four rounds. She glanced over her shoulder, looking at him sharply, a brow raised and all he could do was grin. She gave him a devious smile as she turned back to the enemy.   
Her hand lay lax at her side, and he watched as she slowly raised them up; more and more men rose from the ground. He fired quickly, shocked that she could lift that many. They glanced at Kasumi who was fighting two men. Sania threw one into the wall with a sickening thud, the other she let Kasumi kill.   
They went through each room like this- Shepard would lift, he would kill, and Kasumi would go after those that Sania couldn’t reach. With the three of them working as a team they made their way through the room quicker than Kolyat thought they would. He understood why his father and Garrus enjoyed going on missions, she made it interesting; you never knew what she would do with her biotics next. In the last room she decided to have some fun. She waved the guys around in the air as he tried to take them out. They were the last two men in the room and he had been teasing her through this part of the mission. This was his payback.   
The roof was more interesting; they had enemies coming from all directions. He tried to duck down like this father taught him but there was no safe spot. He couldn’t peg off the men for Sania. She figured it out quickly, and his breath caught in his throat as she stood up into everyone’s fire. The bullets bounced off her shield as she threw some more back but it wasn’t enough; they were still flanked, and he wasn’t a dead shot like Garrus and his father.   
Another problem was that fucking copter that Hawk hid in. Whenever they had a moment to rest, it would pop up, nearly killing them with its raw gunfire. He saw Sania run for different cover, leaving him in a safe spot so he could continue shooting, covering her to the best of his abilities.   
He tried to use his biotics on one enemy that came too close but it wasn’t strong enough. The guy fell to the ground pointing his gun towards his head, but Kolyat wasn’t afraid. He kicked up, connecting with the guys head, but a sharp pain in his back stopped him from doing anything else. A burning sensation swept through his body, he opened his mouth to call for aid but all that came out was a gurgle.   
Sania heard the unmistakable sounds of a bullet entering flesh. Her biotics were at an all-time high, all her senses were more profound than usual. She swung around to see Kolyat snap one guys neck with a kick, but a bullet from someone else standing right behind dropped him.   
Anger fueled the rage and terror that burned through her. Once again that helicopter came, making it hard for Sania to get to him, but right now she didn’t care. Kolyat was injured badly, and she watched him crumple to the ground when he tried to force his legs to work. “NO!” she screamed; her heart was lodged in her throat in horror.   
Kasumi swung around when she heard Shepard scream. Her eyes widened as she dove for cover just in time. Shepard’s biotics burst forth, a blinding light that decimated all in its path. Kasumi hung on the edge of the roof using the overhead to protect her. She watched the copter take aim at her and knew that this mission was a complete failure.   
Her features were marred in wonder as the copter smoked when Shepard’s biotics hit it, a bright wave of energy destroying the vessel. Kasumi hissed as the edge of the bright wave burned her hands, but she ignored the pain and hung on tightly.   
When the light was gone, and the copter plummeted to the ground, she climbed up onto the roof once more. It was utterly destroyed; what used to be littered with crates and make shift walls was just debris.   
Kasumi searched for Shepard through the wreckage, finding her kneeling with Kolyat in her arms; he was passed out. Blue blood pooled on the ground as she held him. Sania still burned bright with biotic energy.   
“Normandy, this is Kasumi, we have a problem. Kolyat was injured and Shepard has lost it,” she informed them. “We need medic and pick up.”  
“The shuttle is on its way with Doctor Chakwas. Thane and Garrus are on their way, too. Kasumi, let Garrus handle Shepard, he’s seen her like this before,” Joker replied.   
Joker sat back in his seat and swore profusely. The last time he heard Shepard in this condition, they nearly had to kill her for everyone’s safety. He just hoped that it didn’t come to that this time. He couldn’t go through losing Shepard again, once was enough.   
Thane and Garrus jumped on board the shuttle along with Chakwas.   
“Thane you look after your son, or try to. I’ll try and look after Shepard. Just a warning, don’t touch her; treat her as if she never met Kolyat. Doctor, if you have anything that can knock Shepard out, now is the time to use it,” Garrus instructed them.   
All three of them bailed out of the shuttle quickly, taking in the wreckage of the roof top in a glance.  
“What happened here?” Thane asked quietly as he made his way to Shepard and his son.   
“Shepard… in a very bad mood,” Garrus smirked grimly as Thane hesitated.  
They made their way to Shepard; she had a distant look on her face. Kolyat was awake and in obvious pain. He was trying to bring Shepard back from wherever she disappeared to in her mind. Her body still glowed a feint blue while holding Kolyat in her arms.   
Chakwas gingerly moved closer, running a scan over Kolyat. She hissed when she saw the results; he still had the bullet in him and it was pressing against his right lung. She was surprised that he was awake and not unconscious.   
“Shepard we have to move Kolyat,” Chakwas said quietly.   
They waited for a reaction but none was forth coming.   
“Shepard?” Garrus called to her, still getting no response.   
“What do we do?” Thane asked. He had never seen the Commander like this before and it worried him. He glanced at his son; he knew his injury was serious by the glassy look in his eyes.   
“We need to get him to the Med Bay immediately,” Chakwas stated brusquely.  
Thane reached down slowly, taking his son from Shepard’s arms without touching her. Kolyat cried out before passing out. That jolted Shepard out of her trance, and her glance focused directly on Thane.   
“We need to get to the Normandy,” Thane snapped.   
She nodded once, moving quickly as Thane carried his son. Garrus and Kasumi remained at the rear of the group, just in case more enemies came. Garrus highly doubted anyone else would be coming, not after what had just transpired. He was surprised the building was still standing but left that thought alone for a later time. Right now Shepard needed him, and he would be there for her no matter what. This was the first mission he never had her back and it didn’t feel right to him.   
Shepard sat beside Thane, close to Kolyat. Chakwas monitored his heart and lungs as the shuttle made its way to the Normandy.   
“Damn, his right lung is failing.” Chakwas swore colorfully as she injected Kolyat with something.   
Shepard bowed her head as a tear slipped free; she had fucked up big this time. Kolyat had been injured because of her.   
Kolyat twitched beneath Thane’s hold. He tried soothing his son, but that was easier than done. He didn’t know what to do; he hadn’t been a father in years. He tried talking to him but that didn’t work. Awkwardly, he tried running his hand along the top of Kolyat’s head in a soothing motion, but Thane figured Kolyat could feel his agitation.   
Thane ducked as his son’s hand swung out, almost connecting with him. He thought he would have to trap his arm but it stopped swinging when he made a connection with Shepard. Thane watched with a small smile as Shepard held Kolyat’s hand.   
The trip to the ship was taking longer than Sania liked. Kolyat needed medical attention now, not in a few minutes. She held Kolyat’s hand tightly as her biotics rode her hard. She didn’t care right now that the others were in danger, right now her focus was on the man she failed.   
“That’s odd, his right lung isn’t failing anymore,” Chakwas murmured.   
Thane’s head whipped towards her, he quickly thought about what she said. An idea came to him as he quickly shifted Kolyat’s body to Shepard. She looked at him startled as she held Kolyat close. He watched as his son relaxed into Shepard’s arms, his eyes drifting closed as he rested peacefully. Thane hid his smirk, his assumption had been right.   
The shuttle landed in the docking bay, Shepard didn’t bother waiting for the doors to open before she stood with Kolyat in her arms. He weighed a lot more than her and was a lot taller than her, but with the help of her biotics she was able to carry him with ease. She made her way to Mordin’s office ignoring all the startled glances, full of questions, thrown her way. Her main concern right now was Kolyat.   
The thought of losing him made her chest tighten and her heart stutter. She could feel hot tears pressing against her eyelids every time she thought of Kolyat possibly dying.   
She lay him down gently on the gurney. He moaned in pain, his hand tightening on hers when she tried to pull away. Instead she pulled up a chair, holding his hand in hers. She didn’t turn when the doors opened behind her.   
“Shepard, you shouldn’t be in here when we operate,” Chakwas stated.   
“I know, but is he going to live?” She asked softly.   
“He’ll live, but he may lose a lung, or the damage might be too much for his body and he might develop Kepral’s Syndrome like his father,” Chakwas answered sympathetically.   
Shepard stood there mutely nodding her head. She forced herself to let go of Kolyat’s hand and walk out of the room. Garrus tried to stop her, as did Thane but she couldn’t talk to anyone right now. She needed to be alone.   
Thane wondered why she wasn’t in there with his son. Quickly he walked into Mordin’s lab and saw his son lying there looking closer to death than he had when he was on the shuttle.   
“Why isn’t Shepard with him?” Thane asked abruptly shocking the two doctors.   
“Thane you have to leave,” Chakwas said tartly.   
“If you want my son to have a fighting chance then have Shepard in here,” Thane snapped coldly.   
“Why?” Mordin asked quickly. He knew Thane would never suggest something unless it was important, especially regarding his son.   
“I can’t explain right now; it would take too long, but he needs her as she needs him,” Thane told the Salarian.   
Mordin nodded quickly in acquiescence. “Go get the Commander,” he ordered before turning back to Kolyat.   
Thane let out a relieved sigh as he moved quickly through the doors and nodded to Garrus. Garrus left the table following Thane to the elevators. As quickly as Thane could, he told Garrus what he believed was happening.   
Garrus grinned and then chuckled. “I always knew being aboard the Normandy was interesting.”


	11. Chapter 11

Garrus and Thane made their way to Shepard’s door; they both glanced at each other, not sure if it was safe to be knocking. They had seen the look on her face in the Med Bay; her emotions were running high at the moment. Garrus nodded towards Thane to knock, receiving an incredulous glare in response. Garrus rolled his eyes and knocked on the door. He expected to hear EDI’s voice, but the AI remained silent and out of sight. Instead, the door opened revealing a Shepard who had appeared to have been crying.  
Garrus cleared his throat uncomfortably. “Shepard, you’re needed down at Mordin’s office,” he told her.   
She looked at him with blank eyes and Thane sighed at the sight. “Mordin said you should be down there, they need help with-” Thane started and stopped abruptly when her eyes lit and she walked by the both of them.   
The two aliens watched as Shepard rushed into the elevator. They shared a knowing look as the doors closed and then went to wait for the elevator.   
“So, what exactly is going on with your son and Shepard?” Garrus asked Thane.  
“They are bonding, it seems to be a unique trait with drells, since no else seems to notice the signs,” Thane answered thoughtfully.   
“But if this is a unique trait for only your race, then why with Shepard? She’s human,” Garrus asked, confused.   
Thane shrugged his shoulders, not sure of the answer. He hadn’t been expecting this and it through him off, also. He just accepted what he had seen and went with it until he could talk to his son alone.   
“I told you it was going to be interesting on this ship. On the last Normandy, Shepard’s driving made it interesting. Now, it’s her love life,” Garrus commented, laughing softly as they waited for the elevator.   
Thane’s smirk stayed in place as he thought of his son’s reaction. He wasn’t sure how much his son was taught regarding drell culture, so telling him this information would be very interesting. He just hoped his son understood what he was talking about and wouldn’t need to have a more in depth talk. Thane wasn’t sure if he could do that comfortably.   
Shepard’s reaction would be another interesting facet, considering she was human; he didn’t think humans had in depth relationships, not like the drell. It was shocking that this was happening, especially between a drell and a human.  
Thane flashed back to how fast Shepard had left for Mordin’s domain. It made him wonder if she was feeling the same effects. He didn’t think it was possible, but he hoped to be proven wrong.   
Garrus was right, things were about to become very interesting on this ship. Usually it was missions that kept their attention. Now, he had a new thing to watch. 

~ooooooooooooo~  
Shepard barged into Mordin’s lab hurriedly, thinking the worst. Kolyat laid on one of the gurneys with a tube down his throat.   
“What the hell? He was talking before,” she nearly yelled, rushing to Kolyat’s bedside. She stared down at him in fear; she didn’t want to lose him.   
“Take his hand,” Mordin commanded Shepard.   
Sania looked at him worriedly, doing what he ordered her to. She couldn’t be upset with him at the moment, not if he was going to save Kolyat’s life. At the moment she would do anything to make sure that he lived.   
Mordin quickly glanced at Kolyat’s stats and raised a brow ridge. Thane had been right, Kolyat needed Shepard’s touch or biotics, he thought amazed. He wasn’t sure which of the two Kolyat needed, but at the moment he didn’t care; not if it made healing him easier. He resolved he would look more into it later.   
Before Shepard touched Kolyat, Mordin couldn’t truly operate. He had been fighting against a failing lung that had been putting too much strain on the other lung, creating more problems; Kolyat had stopped breathing a few times. So, Mordin had placed a tube down his throat in order for the young drell to breathe. All the strain had been so much for his system that Mordin wasn’t sure if he would survive.   
Now with Shepard touching him, however; Kolyat’s stats were leveling out. The one lung wasn’t improving but it wasn’t becoming worse either, so that gave Mordin time to fix the lung. He didn’t understand it, but when Kolyat was no longer in danger, he was definitely going to study the abnormality.   
Shepard held Kolyat’s hand in a death grip. She laid her cheek gently against his hand, just so she could feel him and so he would know that she was there for him. She didn’t care what Mordin thought of the display of affection; she didn’t care if someone walked in and saw her weeping. Kolyat was in worse shape, and she felt like she was losing someone impossibly close to her.   
Another tear escaped her tightly closed eyes as the thought of losing him rippled through her, tearing her heart wide open and showing her something she didn’t understand.  
“Shepard, we need to remove the bullet,” Mordin told her, pulling the drape closed so she wouldn’t have to see what was happening.   
Shepard nodded dully; whatever Mordin needed to do to save Kolyat’s life was fine with her. She trusted the doctor. Of the few people that she trusted, Garrus, Thane, Kolyat and Mordin were among them. Wrex had been on the list, but since he showed that he didn’t trust her, she gave up on him. Kaidan was also banned from that list as soon the words ‘traitor’ left his mouth. She wanted him dead; what he said felt like a stab to the chest.  
Mordin sighed in relief as he removed the bullet without any further mishaps. He had been very worried that removing the bullet might have caused internal bleeding. Though, there was some bleeding, it was nothing that couldn’t be handled. In his peripheral vision, Mordin watched Shepard, shocked at the amount of emotion she was showing while holding Kolyat’s hand. He had never seen her so emotional, and he wondered how far the relationship between the two had advanced.   
Shepard was pulled from her trance when Mordin spoke.   
“The bullet is removed, he will recover. I would suggest that you stay here with him.”   
Shepard nodded dully. The bullet may have been removed but Kolyat still hadn’t stirred. Mordin returned to his other work as they waited for Kolyat to regain consciousness. He wasn’t sure how long it would take, not with a drell.   
The hours passed quickly for Mordin, and he was sure Shepard felt like the hours were crawling by. He glanced over at her when he heard her gasp and sigh. Kolyat’s outer eyelids were fluttering open as he shifted on the bed restlessly. Mordin grinned for a moment before standing beside Shepard.   
“He’ll be restless for a while. I removed the bullet, and gave him more medigel. He will have to be monitored for the next few days it will take time for his lung to heal,” Mordin told her.   
“Will his lungs heal properly?” Shepard asked him.   
Mordin could see the desperation that she tried hiding but couldn’t.   
“They should, if he stays here where I can monitor him,” Mordin told her. “You should be here for a bit, helps him heal.” He said with a devious grin that set her on edge.   
“You don’t have to worry about that. I’ll be here mostly until he leaves,” she stated firmly, her gaze challenging the doctor to refute her claim.   
Mordin nodded absently, he was still trying to figure out how Thane would tell her that Kolyat was bonding to her. It should make for an interesting conversation. One he wouldn’t mind witnessing.   
~oooooooooo~  
Shepard spent most of her time in the Med Bay as Kolyat healed. He was on his third day, and his lungs were looking better, from what Mordin explained. Thane and Garrus had been in there often, giving her a break so she could get work done.   
She was surprised that Thane wasn’t upset with her. She didn’t understand it. As far as she was concerned, it was her fault that Kolyat was injured.   
It was late at night and she couldn’t sleep. Her dreams now consisted of Kolyat being shot, so she avoided sleep. Those dreams always made her feel like she was out in space once again, where she couldn’t breathe, and her heart pounding so hard that it was painful; then there was the deep void of emptiness that blanketed her. When she woke from the nightmares, there would be tears trickling down her cheeks.   
She glanced up when someone took a seat across from her. Thane sat there with a patient look. It’s about time he showed his anger towards me, she thought. She wasn’t sure if it was relief or fear that she would lose yet another friend.   
“You look troubled,” Thane commented softly.   
“I almost killed your son, what do you expect?” She asked tiredly, her voice filled with self-loathing. If he wasn’t going to berate her, she didn’t want to have a normal conversation.   
“Shepard, he knew the dangers, as do we all when we go on missions,” Thane told her quietly. He worried when he heard the misguided pain in her voice.   
She shook her head, denying his claim. Without a word she left him where he sat. Thane watched her leave with sorrow. He knew she wouldn’t listen to him, but there was someone who would get through to her. Thane made his way over to the Med Bay; his son was supposed to be released from observation that day after Mordin finished the final scan.   
Kolyat sat on the gurney as Chakwas ran a scan over him. He glanced up at his father when he entered.   
“What’s bothering you?” Kolyat asked. He could see the worry in his father eyes, reinforced by the way his hands were clasped behind his back, his spine rigid.   
Thane glanced at him, startled; he thought he had hid his emotions well enough that Kolyat wouldn’t pick up on them.   
“Sania’s been teaching me how to read you,” Kolyat grinned, answering his father’s shocked expression.   
Thane nodded absently as he moved over to his son’s side. “Is he able to leave today?” Thane asked Chakwas, wondering where Mordin was.   
“In a few minutes he can leave. If you want to make yourself useful, grab him some clothes so he’s not prancing around in this gown,” Chakwas replied with a chuckle. She knew quite a few females onboard who would like to see Thane and his son prancing around in a medical gown, with no back covering their rear-ends.   
“Where are my leathers?” Kolyat asked horrified.   
“In the garbage, where they belong,” Chakwas told him succinctly, hiding her grin. He looked so outraged.  
“You threw out my leathers?” he nearly yelled, he couldn’t believe it. Drell leather wasn’t cheap and they were the best things for them to wear in combat. He didn’t know how he was going to replace them. He had been wearing the leather outfit since his coming of age. It showed he was an adult, responsible for himself, able to have a family if he so chose and she threw them out.   
“Actually Sania threw them out when she saw what condition they were in. I was to inform you that in the morning you can go onto the Citadel and purchase another set.” Chakwas grinned as he scowled at her. Shepard had warned her that he wouldn’t take it well.   
Kolyat was about to say something scathing but stopped when she mentioned it was Sania’s idea; that silenced him. He knew Sania wouldn’t have done it unless they were trashed. He sighed, his shoulders slumping in defeat as the fight left him.   
~oooooooo~  
His dad had told him what happened in the Mess Hall, and now Kolyat had some things to straighten out. He knew his father was hiding something else but for some odd reason he wouldn’t talk about it.   
Kolyat walked into Sania’s room to find her in front of the computer going over reports. He moved to stand quietly behind her.  
“Heard you’re blaming yourself for my injury,” Kolyat commented with a huge grin when she jumped.  
She looked at him annoyed. “I left your side. Even though I thought you would be safe there, I shouldn’t have left you,” she bit out coldly.   
“And if it was Garrus or my father, what would you have done?” he asked.   
“The same thing I did on that roof,” she muttered, averting her eyes from his.   
“If you hadn’t left my side, what would have happened?” he asked with a grin. He knew he was winning the argument; he had seen Kasumi in danger and more men coming. Sania had to know what she did was right.  
“You know damn well what would have happened,” she scowled as she moved away from him.   
“Sania, you can’t blame yourself; you did what had to be done,” Kolyat retorted heatedly.   
“Yes, I did. But, to make sure it doesn’t happen again, you’re not going on anymore missions,” she replied just as angered.   
Her words stopped him cold; those weren’t what he wanted to hear. He couldn’t believe she would even say that, just because he got hurt once. He stormed over to her, grabbing her by the upper arm.   
“You can’t be serious. If my father or anyone on this ship was injured, you wouldn’t stop them from going on anymore missions,” he snarled.   
Sania watched him; she knew what she had to do. They had gotten too close and it wasn’t fair to him. She was a career woman; she had no place for him in her life. Onboard the ship was one thing, but they wouldn’t be onboard forever. Plus, she cared too much and she knew it was time to end it. She had to. Now she understood why the Alliance had the rule of no fraternization between ship mates; it screwed with the persons mind. She couldn’t put him in danger, and because of that he had no place onboard her ship anymore.   
“Kolyat, leave,” she ordered, meeting his eyes without flinching.   
“No,” he snapped. “I’m not leaving. And don’t try and pushing me away, it won’t work,” he told her coldly. He could see the turmoil in her eyes, the pain and regret. He knew without a doubt that she was going to push him away, probably drop him off on the Citadel. He wasn’t going to allow it without a fight. Not a chance.   
She opened her mouth to yell at him, or scream, she wasn’t sure which. But, he changed that drastically. His mouth met hers with burning intensity, his one hand laced through her hair jerking her head back so he could claim her more thoroughly. His tongue plundered her mouth, tasting the sweetness of her. He moaned low as her tongue dueled with his, gliding wetly against his drier one.   
Her body cried for this, her mind echoing her body’s cry. Her thoughts of getting rid of him replayed in her mind, mocking her. Silently, she admitted to herself that she couldn’t get rid of him, even if it was the smart thing to do. She had more feelings for him than she thought, and she didn’t know how or when that had happened.   
Kolyat broke the kiss when he felt her melt into him. He smirked as he watched her eyes heat with desire and something else that he couldn’t define at the moment. Not with where his thoughts were going.   
He took her mouth possessively, growling in pleasure as she moaned. He ate that sound and others she made as he cupped her breast through the material of her shirt. She cried out, tearing her mouth away from his, her head thrown back in pleasure. There was no fear in her eyes, only certainty that fueled his yearning for her. He shuddered as he felt her biotics come alive as he caressed her body.   
He reached for the clasps of her shirt, watching her carefully as he exposed her body to his eyes. His hands followed the trail his eyes made, stopping at the offending material that was covering her breast from his view. With a smirk he twisted the material around his webbed fingers and snapped it in the front, leaving her bare to his hands and eyes. He chuckled darkly as he heard her gasp and moan. He trailed his mouth down her neck, tasting every inch of her skin until he came to the dark nub standing at attention. He sucked hard on one while holding her tightly as she shuddered with pleasure. Pride rushed through him at her reactions, and he was thankful for Mordin’s information packets.   
White fire burned through her; this was more than anything she had experienced with him. Even in the cargo hold when she found release for the first time. She gave a shocked gasp when he hoisted her up so that her breasts were at mouth level for him. His hands held her tightly as he walked towards her bed.   
She held him tightly, her fingers lightly tracing the red frills along his jaw and neck. A thrill of pleasure rushed through her when she felt a rumbling growl come from him ending in a moan. She cried out when she felt his teeth lightly bite her, shrugging off the offending material that was in the way.   
Kolyat moaned at the sight of her, he wanted to remember everything that was taking place at the moment- the way she twitched or quivered at his touch, or the ways she moaned lustily, crying out when the pleasure was intensified. Her finger nails bit into his scales driving him on. His one arm supported her rear as his other hand palmed her breasts in turn, until he had her writhing in his arms.   
He tasted every inch of flesh he could reach as he moved them slowly to the bed. She undid the fastening to his shirt, her warm hands running along his hypersensitive scales. He moaned into the arch of her neck, his teeth scraping along her skin, eliciting a whimper from her.   
He laid her down gently on the soft bed. Kolyat stripped off his shirt and covered her with his body. He left his pants on, so they didn’t rush the moment. That was the last thing he wanted to do- rush. She ran her hands along his chest, leaving a trail of heat as she stopped at the edge of his pants. He stopped her questing hand when one small digit delved below the waist band of his pants. She smirked just before leaning up, claiming his mouth in a searing kiss that left them both breathless when they broke apart for air.   
Kolyat trailed heated open mouthed kisses along her skin, using teeth and tongue as he made his way down her body. He lavished her breasts once more, nipping the peaks with his teeth before moving on. He trailed his tongue down her stomach, growling low in pleasure as he felt her twitch and writhe. Her hands rested on the top of his head, skimming lightly over the sensitive ridges that were there. His shaft throbbed painfully as he undid the snaps of her pants; the scent of her arousal was strong and enticing. He took a deep breath, purring in delight as the scent thickened.   
Slowly, he slipped off her pants while holding her gaze the entire time with a heated promise. He broke her gaze so he could see what he had revealed. His breath caught as his eyes travelled along the lower half of her body. He followed the line of her shapely legs to the apex which glistened richly, begging for his touch.   
He leaned closer, inhaling deeply and taking in her arousal. His tongue flicked out to meet the sensitive flesh; he grinned as she cried out bucking her hips sharply. He slowly spread her legs further, watching her carefully for any signs of fear.   
Sania was in heaven, she couldn’t believe the amount of pleasure she was experiencing. Her breath caught as Kolyat looked at her tenderly, taking his time with her, erasing any fears she had. He didn’t rush her; he was patiently giving her time to adjust to everything new he did, and for that alone he meant the world to her.   
Her spine bowed as his tongue brushed against her most sensitive area. What happened in the cargo hold was just a taste of what she was feeling right now. She didn’t have the words for it, but she could feel something big building within her, more so than what happened in the cargo hold.   
Kolyat carefully slipped the tips of his fingers into her. He purred against her swollen flesh as she cried out, her hips bucking out of control; her juices soaking his face as she came. Her biotics flashed through the room washing over the both of them. He slipped his fingers in the rest of the way as her orgasm rode her so she wouldn’t feel the pain as he broke through the membrane. He leaned his head against her thigh purring in content as he watched her lose herself to pleasure as his fingers slowly thrust into her clenching body. He waited patiently as she slowly calmed from that explosive orgasm. He left his fingers inside of her, moving them slowly allowing her to adjust to the intrusion. He remembered Dr. Mordin’s notes stating that Sania would need preparation before intercourse. Right now he was thankful that he read that material or he would be at a loss.   
As he felt her relax, he slipped another finger into her, stretching her so she could accommodate him without pain. That was his one fear, harming her. Drell women were different than humans; human bodies were softer, they seemed more fragile. He was worried that he might be too large for her. At the moment she felt small, tight and that scared him. But what kept him from stopping was the way her body seemed to stretch with three fingers if he gave her a chance to relax; that gave him mild hope. But he promised himself that if she was in pain he would stop no matter what.   
She reached for him, pulling him up her body. He went willing, using his fingers to search for that one spot inside of her, but it seemed to be illusive.   
Sania watched as he was in deep concentration as he covered her body with his. She was frustrated that he hadn’t stripped yet. Her body still burned after the explosion she just had, and his fingers gliding within her were keeping her hot. She was about to demand that he lose the pants but he stole her breath when he rubbed against a certain spot deep within her.   
Stars burst behind her eyes when he kept running over that one spot. She cried out, her body wrenching under his as he found another sensitive spot. If this was without penetration she wasn’t sure if she would survive that act itself. She focused on the drell that she cared about deeply, the one who had always been there for her, showing her a new world. That alone brought her peace she hadn’t felt in a long while.   
She groaned deep as her body spasmed, she vaguely heard buckles being unsnapped. She didn’t care; she was in sheer heaven at the moment. She felt something hot touching her opening, fear and uncertainty rushed through her until she met Kolyat’s dark eyes. She saw understanding and patience in them, plus something else she couldn’t name.   
Kolyat entered her slowly. As she clenched around him, for the first time he felt like he was home. He purred his content, moaning as her muscles clenched around him when he was fully sheathed within her. He held absolutely still, fighting his body not to release at that very moment. This was his second time being with a female, the first time didn’t compare to this. He had thought he loved the female drell he had been with but he hadn’t. He held Sania’s eyes and knew for a fact that he hadn’t loved that drell. With that same certainty he knew he loved Sania, he didn’t just care about her as he thought; he loved her. He wasn’t sure when it happened, but he wouldn’t change it for the anything.   
They lay there locked together. Kolyat searched out her hand, clasping hers within his, allowing her hand to move over the one area on his palm where a gland laid that needed stimulation to produce his scent. They held still as they watched each other, reveling in the feel of one and another.   
Kolyat moved slowly, watching her features for pain or pleasure. He growled as he felt her move with him, his eyes watered as he watched emotions play over her face just for him. For the first time in his life he felt accepted, wanted and needed. He felt like he just came home, where he belonged.   
Sania watched him, holding him tightly to her. She couldn’t let him go even if she wanted to; he was her sanity, her anchor. He was her refuge, the one she turned to when things were too much, or when she needed to let go and not be Commander Shepard. Kolyat was everything to her, and now he was making love to her.   
They both moved, their passion building, and Kolyat’s thrusts became more urgent as her cries grew louder. He felt her muscles clamp around him once more and he didn’t fight for control. He allowed his release to rush over him, allowing it to sweep him away as he cried out Sania’s name. Faintly, he heard his own name as she clutched at him, holding him tightly. He sank into her, holding her close as he rolled onto his side taking her with him still locked within her.   
Sania’s eyes widened when she felt him still hard even though she knew he came. She gave him a questioning look.   
“The advantages of being a drell; we have multiple orgasms,” Kolyat murmured before kissing her passionately and continued with his slow thrusts.  
Sania gasped, her nails digging into his back as her passion roared to life once more. She felt Kolyat move his hips differently, hitting that one spot inside of her that he found earlier. She buried her face in his shoulder, gasping for breath, waiting for him to move his hips like that again but it didn’t happen.   
Kolyat thrusts deepened as he rotated his hips once more, trying to find that one illusive spot.   
“God do that again,” he heard her moan against his shoulder.   
He repeated the move, groaning when he felt her clench around him. Pride bloomed through him that he was able to give her this much pleasure. His pace quickened as his release built, and her body tensed, her legs and arms clenching around him, holding him tightly as she came. He felt her muscles clenching and unclenching around him as he thrust deep within her bringing his own release.   
Kolyat moaned tiredly as he flopped onto his back, taking her with him. He moved his hips so that he slipped out of her, hoping that he hadn’t harmed her during the last round. He ran his hand along her back as she rested on top of him. He smiled tenderly down at her. She looked pleased and sated, with a peaceful smile on her mouth.   
His body stiffened as he remembered something in the notes from Mordin.   
“Did Mordin send up creams for you to use?” he asked softly.   
“Yeah, they’re in the top draw of the nightstand,” she mumbled tiredly, motioning in the vague direction.   
Kolyat chuckled fondly as he reached for the tubes that were in the drawer. With an impish grin that she didn’t see, he flipped her onto her back leaning over her with a grin and a wicked glint in his eyes.   
“You can’t be tired already,” he purred as he moved his way down her body.   
“No, just very relaxed,” she murmured, watching him with half lidded eyes. She smiled as he applied the cream on her reddened skin, moaning softly as he slowly caressed her skin.   
Kolyat purred softly as he heard her soft moan. He smirked with the knowledge that he could bring her pleasure with just a touch. He lay back on the bed beside her and watched her. He opened his mouth to tell her what he felt but he couldn’t get the words out.   
“What is it?” she asked; she leaned into him, running her hand lightly along his chest.   
Kolyat held her tightly to him, keeping silent as he stared out the widow above the bed. Fear, uncertainty, and hope rushed through him. But, he couldn’t bring himself to say those words to her, not yet. They were too new for him to say. The last time he had said those words he got burned. The woman hadn’t loved him; he’d been someone to fill the time while her boyfriend was out of town. What had shocked him was he hadn’t been devastated; he had been hurt, but not as bad when he thought that Sania was going to force him to leave.   
“Kolyat?” Sania questioned when he didn’t say anything. She lifted her head to look up at him. For a moment she could have sworn that she saw a disturbed look on his face but it quickly changed to a smile. She rested her head back on his chest with a contented sigh.   
“It’s nothing to worry about. You should get some sleep and I should head back to my father’s room,” he murmured. He didn’t want to leave but she hadn’t invited him to stay up here the night, either.   
She stiffened for a moment at his comment about leaving. She didn’t want him to go, but she hated the thought that if she asked, she would be forcing him to stay. Her body tensed for a moment as she swallowed her pride.   
“Are you sure you don’t want to stay up here?” she asked quietly.   
Kolyat relaxed as he heard the uncertainty in her voice and knew what it cost her to ask. “Hmm, sounds tempting, but you won’t get much sleep later,” he warned her with a grin.   
She chuckled, closing her eyes as she curled up to him when he relaxed against the pillows, covering them both with the blanket.   
He watched her as she drifted off to sleep. He had finally found peace since his mother’s death. He couldn’t believe that Sania had trust him so much that she hadn’t feared what was going to happen. She had welcomed the love-making between them with open arms; to call it anything else would be debasing their act of passion and he couldn’t do that. He buried his face in the crook of her shoulder, taking in his marking scent and her scent, purring in content that she wore his mark.   
Her breathing deepened and her hold on him relaxed. He bowed his head, kissing the top of her head lightly.  
“I love you Sania,” he whispered when he knew she wouldn’t be able to hear the words.


	12. Chapter 12

Shepard curled up against Kolyat. His one hand lightly stroked her back, while   
the other was curled into her hair. He breathed deep and evenly as he drifted to   
sleep. What she had experienced with him was beyond imagining, but she was still   
terrified. She never experienced that much emotion or lost that much control   
with her body. She enjoyed it to a point, but she hated giving up any control.  
She watched him sleep for a few minutes, fighting off memories that were   
starting to haunt her after allowing him so close to her. He had done what they   
had wanted to train her for. When she turned twelve she was supposed to start a   
different path in her training. She remembered that time so clearly; everything   
that led up to that fateful day. Everything changed, but things didn't go as   
they planned. Her guardian angel made sure of that.  
Ten year old Shepard leaned back against the wall, watching out the glass at the   
other kids playing. It doesn't bother her anymore. If they were ever attacked,   
these kids were expendable. They boasted that they had biotics, but they don't   
know what biotics were, she thought scornfully. She shakes her head with a smirk   
as she sees one of the kids try and lift a practice block and fail. It was   
pitiful, so disgusting to watch. These kids knew nothing of biotics. She watched   
them for a few more minutes, wondering which one would be part of her training   
today. She was betting it was the one who messed up with the block. He didn't   
deserve to be here, and he wouldn't be a challenge to her.   
Her eyes snapped to the door of her room, biotics automatically flaring to life   
as it opens. Edward stood there, nodding his head. She sighed, round three of   
testing for today. Though she couldn't complain - the latest implant they put in   
her was better than any other so far. It honed her biotics, making them   
stronger. It also stopped the headaches that plagued her with the other implants   
she'd had.   
He led her to the red room. She smirked, knowing exactly what they wanted. Just   
as she guessed, someone was going to be part of her training for this session.   
Someone was going die in this test. Shepard didn't care anymore when she killed   
someone. It didn't bother her to see the remains of her work. The first few   
times she had screamed and cried herself to sleep; and had nightmares for a   
couple of years. The nightmares finally stopped when she was around eight or   
nine. Now, she thought of the victims as just one less person left to annoy her.   
She'd once asked them what they going to tell the parents. Their answer didn't   
shock her. The parents don't care what happens to them. She knew that one very   
well.   
The head of the facility, Shawn, stood at the doors waiting for her; alongside a   
tech. He gave Shepard her orders: She was going up against an adult who had full   
knowledge of how to use his biotics. She had to sneak, catching him off guard;   
and they wanted her to use her biotics in a specific fashion. Business as usual.   
She watched the tech place the numerous pads on her body so he could take full   
readings. A child's cold, dead eyes following every move of the glove-covered   
hands.  
She walked into the room, taking a spot in the corner away from her prey. She   
smirked as she watched him glance around; she could smell his fear. She moved to   
another area, her bare feet not making a sound as slipped up behind him. "Time   
to die," she whispered, before placing her hand over his heart and shoving her   
biotics through him. Not a whimper or a cry of warning; instantly, sightless   
eyes stared up at her and she shrugged, pleased that she passed.  
She moved to the doors where Shawn stood waiting for her. "You're improving   
greatly. It's almost time for the next phase of your training. There are still   
some tests that we need to run and you need to undergo another surgery that will   
enhance your eyes," he told her, motioning for her to follow him. He stopped at   
the window she always watched, his face showing his disgust. "We'll need to   
rectify that after you are healed from your surgery."   
"All of them?" she asked.   
"No, just those three in the corner. That should be good enough," he nodded   
absently.   
She flashed back to the present. The operation had been a success, but   
unfortunately she didn't have those eyes now. She used to be able to see in the   
dark, further than a human; but Cerberus remade her. Now she recently heard a   
name she hadn't heard in years - a name that changed everything. Its owner was   
someone that she owed a great deal to or she would still be that killer.  
Dr. Lyon smiled softly at her. He was the only one who treated her like a child.   
She didn't really care, but it was odd. He gave her treats, and sometimes he   
would give her books to read - books with pictures. Since she been here, the   
only books she had with pictures were about the anatomy of the different races.   
He was always so nice to her. She was now about twelve years old, maybe younger.   
Age didn't matter here.   
Shepard broke herself out of her thoughts. She closed her eyes, disgusted with   
herself. She told Kolyat that she was pitted against test dummies, not living   
people. She lied about that, and about a few other things. She knew how she got   
out of that facility. It was the final two things they asked of her that got her   
out of there. She smirked, thinking of that one night.  
She had all the upgrades they were willing to give. She had taken medicine to   
help her muscles to develop faster. She was the ultimate killing machine in a   
child's body. She was a machine; she had no good emotions by that time. She only   
felt disdain, disgust, anger, and cold amusement when someone died by her   
biotics. It came to the point where she was taunting the one that she was to   
kill; enjoying it as the light left their eyes. Sometimes it wasn't other   
children, but other teachers who over-stepped their bounds. They would take   
great pleasure in telling her that. She would be killing a teacher because he   
was a danger to her.   
She stood in front of Shawn. He looked troubled, but she didn't really care. She   
had already pinpointed five different times she could have killed him within the   
last few moments. She stood there, waiting until he spoke. "You finally have   
your first mission," he commented, "but not until after we clean up a few loose   
ends here." She saw his smirk and reveled in it. He wanted her to kill someone.   
"Who?" she asked with slight anticipation.  
"We are closing down this facility. There is no need for it anymore. We're   
moving to the Citadel, as are you; but first, the subjects and a few of the   
workers here need to go. We'll be placing them all in the playroom that your   
room overlooks." He watched her for a while, his eyes gleaming.   
"How do you want it done?" she asked.   
"You have free reign. Don't hold back on your biotics," he told her, grinning as   
she looked at him wide-eyed.   
"Will do. I'll do it in the shroud of darkness," she murmured thoughtfully as   
she turned to leave the room.   
"I'm not finished," Shawn snapped. "When we leave here, you will be going by a   
code name. That is the only name we will address you by."   
"What is it?" she asked, curious.   
"Ghost." She blinked slowly, smiling at the code name.   
That night her biotics flared out of control for the first time in years. She   
killed twenty people in that small room. Her biotics had flooded the room,   
killing all of them. For the first time, their screams of terror bothered her.   
She felt something she hadn't in years – remorse. With ease, she pushed that   
emotion away. She didn't need it, nor did she want it.   
Then she went to her appointment with Dr. Lyon and her life changed drastically.   
What was supposed to be an easy mission, changed on her ship ride with the   
doctor to the Citadel. He was her supervisor while living on the Citadel. He was   
the one who looked after her; the one who knew her best.   
She smiled softly as she remembered him with his full beard and scruffy hair. He   
always had his lab coat on, sometime forgetting to remove it after falling   
asleep at his desk. He was the main reason no one could touch her. But that was   
a memory that she didn't want right now.  
She was about to drift off to sleep, but that changed when her computer pinged.   
She quietly left Kolyat's arms and moved over to her computer. Her breath   
caught; her eyes widening as mixed emotions flooded over her. Fear was one,   
excitement another and uncertainty was what held her there to read the note.   
Above all of those was a sense of longing, but that was in the past. She wasn't   
that person any more.  
Ghost,  
I need to speak with you. It's urgent. Meet me at the Citadel, the usual place.   
I'll be checking for signs every day.  
Dr. Lyon  
What did he want? She was nervous about this and she didn't want to go alone.   
She needed to take someone that knew how to work silently. The only person that   
would be able to help her was Thane. The problem with that was that she would   
have to tell him her past; a past that she hadn't even shared with Kolyat. She   
had actually lied about it.  
She glanced at Kolyat sleeping soundly and made her decision. She would talk to   
Thane. She couldn't have her past interfering with whatever was going on between   
her and Kolyat. She couldn't bear the thought that someone from her past was   
going to cause problems. Though she didn't know how that would be possible. She   
thought she had fixed all of those problems.  
"EDI, let Kolyat know that I had something to take care of. I'll be back shortly   
if he wakes before I return," she ordered.  
"Will do, Shepard," EDI answered before logging her off. Shepard glanced at   
Kolyat once more before leaving.  
She knocked on Thane's door, not sure if he would be awake. She hadn't thought   
of that beforehand, and now she was cursing herself. She should have thought of   
this before leaving her room; it was late into the night cycle.  
Thane unlocked his door, shocked to see Shepard standing there. He could smell   
Kolyat's scent on her strongly, and he backed up a step so the scent wasn't as   
strong. He looked Shepard over carefully. Her eyes were haunted, her skin was   
pale and her hair was mussed. She looked like hell. If Kolyat placed that look   
in her eyes…. he thought quietly, not able to finish that thought. He would   
follow through, however, if necessary.  
"Shepard, is everything alright?" he asked politely.  
"No, it's not. I need your help," she stated, her voice cold.  
"Please, enter," Thane motioned, worry racing through him. He followed behind   
her, ignoring his son's scent as much as possible. He was surprised that she   
didn't take a seat like she usually did. Instead, she went to the window   
overlooking the engine room; keeping her back to him. He took a seat, waiting   
for her to start talking.  
"Thane, how much has Garrus told you about my past?" she asked quietly.  
"Nothing really. He's kept most of what you've told him to himself," Thane   
answered with an inquisitive look that she didn't see. He wished she would turn   
toward him instead of having her back to him.  
"I have to go to the Citadel. An old acquaintance is there, wanting to talk to   
me. Your son knows a lot of my past, but there are still some things that he   
doesn't know." She turned slowly to face him, bracing herself for what she was   
going to do next. "I'm about to tell you things that no one alive knows about.   
Everyone who knows is dead by my hand, except for one," she whispered wistfully.  
Thane sat there silently, unsure what to make of her expression. He had never   
seen Shepard like this before. She was cold, distant even; more so than when he   
first met her. "You probably already know that I was trained in biotics from a   
young age," she began. "If not, then I was taken into training when I was six.   
Killed my first person at the age of seven and killed more every training   
session thereafter. I was what they used to take care of loose ends. The   
facility held other children, and when the Alliance became uncomfortable with   
it, they decided to close it down. They moved their base to the Citadel, where I   
did work for them and other people. What they didn't know was that Dr. Lyon took   
me under his wing and showed me another life. One where there wasn't killing.   
Basically, he raised me from the age of twelve until I joined the Alliance.   
After Lyon found out about their last mission for me in the facility he stepped   
in; he couldn't take it anymore. He had been horrified. Back then I had been   
excited; killing didn't matter to me. It was what I did. Twenty people died in   
that room – kids, workers, and people who knew too much about the facility and   
weren't high enough in the chain of command to be saved."  
Thane sat there, entranced by her story. He was horrified. He hadn't taken his   
first kill until he was twelve, but they made her a killer at a very young age.   
She had already killed many by the time he began. He didn't know what to say to   
her, how to reassure her. Instead he sat there quietly, waiting for her to speak   
once again.  
"Dr. Lyon contacted me and wants me to meet him on the Citadel. I have to do the   
old routine. I would ask that what you see of me on the Citadel is kept between   
the two of us," she stated quietly, waiting for him to answer. She hoped he   
would help her, but she also expected him to be disgusted with her. She wouldn't   
blame him if he was. She wouldn't blame him if he asked her to leave his son   
alone. She would in a heartbeat. Kolyat deserved better than her; someone not   
broken. Someone who wasn't at ease with killing a person, no matter their age.  
"What do you wish of me?" Thane asked calmly.  
"I have to use my old training to get to him. You are the only one on the ship   
that has training close to mine. We will be using stealth and shadows. No one on   
the Citadel can know I'm there, but I can't do this mission alone," she told him   
quietly.  
"What of Kolyat?" Thane asked firmly. He didn't want his son harmed by her   
enemies.  
"What do you wish to know?" she asked tiredly.  
"What if your enemies find out about him?" he asked slowly.  
"When I am finished, no one from my past will be alive. You can either help with   
that, or make sure that Kolyat stays on the ship where he will be safe," Sania   
stated firmly.  
"As I've told you before, my arm is yours," he smirked. "When do we leave?"  
"When the Normandy docks in a few days, we will leave," she answered. She gave   
him a searching look before exiting; leaving him there to stare after her.  
Thane worried about her; he had never seen her like this. She seemed colder,   
more distant than she had been in a while. He thought about talking to his son   
about this, but he knew that he couldn't. Sania trusted him with this and he   
wasn't going to let her down. He hoped she would tell Kolyat soon. The two of   
them weren't known for hiding things from each other.  
~ooooooooooooo~  
Kolyat was just starting to get dressed. He had woken up in a cold empty bed and   
that didn't sit well with him. He knew Sania had things to do, but he didn't   
understand why she didn't wake him. The day cycle was just starting and the   
sheets were cold where she had been laying, so he knew she had been gone for a   
while. He thought about asking EDI where she was, but didn't need to. EDI   
informed him that Commander Shepard would return shortly and that had been an   
hour ago.  
He was about to leave her room, but stopped when the doors opened and a very   
upset Sania stepped inside. Her biotics were riding her hard. He saw the glowing   
hands, and the blue shimmer surrounding her body. He raised a brow as he moved   
over to her and attempted to take her hand.  
He was shocked when she dodged his touch, and his brow ridge arched in silent   
question. "Leave it alone," she bit out coldly.  
He was taken aback by the tone, but decided not to get upset. It wouldn't solve   
anything; she would fight back and shove him further away. Plus, that wasn't the   
way he worked; not with her. "So…are humans usually this bitchy after sex?" he   
asked with a taunting grin.  
"I wouldn't know," she snapped and moved over to her computer.  
"It's a wonder your males survive if this is what they go through in the   
morning," he stated nonchalantly.  
"Kolyat, now is not the time," she sighed, resting her head in her hands. She   
knew what he was trying to do and if he kept it up, she would tell him what he   
wanted to know. She wasn't ready for that yet. She needed time for herself at   
the moment.  
Kolyat stopped his joking and watched her, his eyes widening when he saw the   
name Ghost on her monitor. What he knew of that name didn't sit well with him.   
It was a name they gave her because of her biotics. "Sania, what's going on?" he   
asked urgently.  
Her head snapped towards him and she gasped as she realized her mistake. Fear   
and uncertainty rushed through her. She didn't know how he would react, so she   
quickly shut off the computer. "Nothing to worry about. It will be handled   
shortly," she answered. Kolyat's eyes widened when he heard her emotionless   
tone.  
This time he didn't allow her to stop him when he placed a hand on her shoulder.   
He felt the flinch, but ignored it. He had figured out a while ago that there   
were things she hadn't told him. He had a suspicion that her training was worse   
that she led him to believe. He wasn't sure how, but he knew she was either   
hiding something or she didn't tell him the whole truth.  
"Sania, talk to me," he asked quietly.  
She shook her head stubbornly while glaring at him coldly. "I'm not talking   
about it, Kolyat, so leave it alone!"  
Kolyat sighed, shaking his head in frustration. She was the most stubborn woman   
he knew. "You realize that I will find out sooner or later," he commented,   
trying reason since nothing else was working.  
"Pray that you don't," she sneered, chuckling darkly.  
"That almost sounds like a challenge," he smirked, not giving up. He hadn't   
fought this hard to be with her to give up now.  
She broke. She couldn't allow what was going on between them continue. He didn't   
understand what she was because she hadn't told him and even if she had, she   
knew he wouldn't understand. She rose to her feet, placing herself back into the   
old training that would always be a part of her. Her emotions shut off; the only   
ones she now felt were cold and uncaring. She was shocked that it was harder to   
go into this mode than she thought. It used to be so easy, but now she had to   
fight to keep herself cold and uncaring.  
Kolyat watched her eyes turn cold; not the angry type of cold, but a coldness   
that he knew he would find in a murderer's eyes. A cold that told him this   
person could kill him without thought and without emotion; and would enjoy it.  
"This is what I am, who I am," she spat, a cruel smile on her face. "Just think.   
You fucked a murderer last night."  
"This may have been what they made you, but it's not you," Kolyat stated firmly,   
and he believed every word he uttered. He watched her closely, looking for a   
crack in this new mask; for he knew that was what it was - a mask. He didn't   
have long to wait. Beneath the dead eyes he saw a flicker of the Sania he knew.  
"Yes, this is me," she snarled, taking a step toward him; expecting him to step   
back out of fear. For a moment, alarm shot through her when he didn't. He stood   
there with understand eyes that almost broke through her resolve to shove him   
away. But she couldn't falter. She needed to shove him away for his own   
protection. "I took my first life when I was six. When I was eight, I enjoyed   
killing. I looked forward to it," she laughed coldly.  
"So? My father was trained at a young age, too. If you think you're going to   
scare me with this revelation, then think again. I saw what was in your eyes   
just a few moments ago. You might have enjoyed it while you were a kid, but it   
bothers you now. I'm not leaving. You can try and shove me away as much as you   
want, but I won't leave until you tell me that you don't care about me," he   
replied, his voice harsh as he tried to get through to her. "If you can say you   
don't care and mean it, I'll walk out that door and not bother you again, except   
to help with your biotics," he stated. He wasn't sure if he could do it, but he   
would try.  
Sania stopped dead, triumph running through her. All she had to do was lie and   
tell him she didn't care. She opened her mouth to say those words and couldn't.   
They wouldn't come out. She closed her eyes in defeat. He had won; she couldn't   
protect him and that scared her.  
Kolyat moved toward her, wrapping his arms around her. He smirked as she relaxed   
into him. He felt the tension leaving her with a sigh, and he held in his   
chuckle when she finally returned his embrace. "Are you going to tell me now   
what happened?" he asked calmly, an edge of amusement to his voice.  
"Fuck, Kolyat, you would have been better off walking out that door - safer. Why   
won't you allow me to push you away?" she asked tiredly.  
"I'll tell you one day, but not now," he answered, grinning down at the top of   
her head. He knew if he said those words, she would throw him out the door from   
fear. "Why don't you tell me why you are trying to get rid of me?"  
Sania took a seat on the chair, but that soon changed when Kolyat lifted and sat   
on the chair with her in his lap. He smirked as she glowered at him. He raised   
an expectant brow ridge, waiting for her to talk to him.  
The tale was tragic, but he wasn't shocked. He had already figured out part of   
it, though he never told her that. Stories that her ground crew told him about   
their mission; how she fought, and how she turned cold gave him an idea that   
there was a lot more to her training than she led him to believe. Also, when he   
watched her fight, he could tell that she was holding herself back. When she   
finished, he wanted those people dead; but she had already taken care of that.   
He wished that he had been the one who had taken care of it.  
"So now we are heading to the Citadel so I can meet up with Dr. Lyon. Your   
father is coming with me. He's the only one on the ship who would be able to   
help me," she told him softly.  
"Good, I know he won't let anything happen to you," Kolyat said, relieved. Sania   
didn't know this, but his father thought of her as the daughter that he never   
had. Thane hid it well when she was around, afraid of scaring her off. But when   
it came to fights, he always watched her to make sure she was safe. He had only   
found that out recently, when his father had opened up to him. That was just   
after Kolyat finally decided he couldn't ignore his father anymore; that he   
needed and wanted his father around.  
They sat there in peaceful silence for a while. Kolyat was relieved that she had   
finally opened up and told him about her past. He was sure there was more.   
Actually, he was positive of it. But she had told him enough for now. The rest   
could wait until she was ready. Now it was this mission on the Citadel that   
worried him.  
He would stay on the ship like she asked. He wouldn't make her worry more than   
she already was by being stupid and looking for this Lyon on his own. If she   
asked him right now to allow someone on the ship to be his guard, he would do   
it. Though later, he couldn't promise that would be the case. Once she was off   
his lap, he was sure his mind would change.  
But he learned one important thing that she hadn't told him. Last night had   
scared her. Not at the time; but afterwards, when she had time to think about   
it. They had rushed things and he knew it now. She wasn't ready to lose control   
of herself - it still scared her. He would wait and bide his time.


	13. Chapter 13

Kolyat watched Sania moaning softly as she slept. He cursed silently. He was supposed to be sleeping in his own bed, but he couldn’t. Not when he knew that her nightmares had recently been increasing in intensity. His father kicked him out of their room, stating that he couldn’t sleep with Kolyat’s continual pacing. Though Thane complained, Kolyat saw the understanding in his eyes.   
He watched her carefully, rubbing her back slowly. His efforts seemed to calm her somewhat. Her muscles slowly relaxed, her biotics settled down and she sighed softly; snuggling deeper into the blankets. He covered up with the only available blanket left for him. He thought about climbing in next to her, but knew that wasn’t a wise decision. He wasn’t going to push intimacies on her; not after he discovered that their first time together had frightened her.  
His greatest wish was for her to forget about Lyon, but he knew it was a futile desire. He didn’t know what she said to his father, but Thane had agreed that she needed to meet with this doctor. Kolyat thought it was a stupid idea. There was no logical reason to dig up old wounds.   
Kolyat drifted off to sleep, unaware of the problem that was developing right next to him. He snapped awake when he heard Sania mumbling Lyon’s name, followed by a desperate plea to stop the tests. He tried shaking her awake but it was useless; she was caught up in the nightmare. He glanced around her room, trying to determine which furniture they would lose this time. Her nightstand had been the most recent victim of the nightmares. That had been impressive. Kolyat had watched as the table was lifted and shot toward the wall like a bullet. Luckily he had awakened her before any further damage could be done.  
A needle pokes her skin, and a blade descends; cutting into her. Sharp, white-hot pain lances through her. “We should sedate her,” someone says.   
“After the last bout of eezo we can’t. We lost two doctors after her last sedation and she almost died. We can’t take the chance of killing Shawn’s pet,” a second voice sneered.  
“NO!” she screamed as another needle descended upon her. She watched in horror as it came closer to her head. Terror swept through her and she screamed again, doing the only thing she knew - what she was trained for. She attacked, protecting herself. A blinding blue light engulfed her, shooting toward to the doctors that surrounded her. She didn’t care. They couldn’t hurt her now…or so she thought.   
She screamed as she felt the needle pierce her skin. Agony held her in its grip as she collapsed back onto the bed, shaking uncontrollably. Her eyes met the one person she trusted above anyone else. The one person she thought of as father…Lyon.  
She tried to call her energy to stop him, but she was in too much agony to concentrate. She pleaded with him with her eyes, but he ignored her. “I must do this for your own good, or their plans will succeed,” he whispered as another needle descended, sending white-hot fire flaring through her. She screamed - that was all she could do.  
Kolyat watched as her desk levitated for a moment before flying into the wall that separated her bathroom from the main living area. The shelves collapsed to the ground, and her desk fell to the floor in pieces. Everything that had been neatly put away on the shelves and desk were strewn across the room. He watched as the glass case that held her ships shattered and the ships took flight; crumpling when they hit a wall. He had to call upon his own biotics to make a shield for protection against the glass. He was glad Sania had taken over his teachings or he wouldn’t have raised his shields in time.   
“Commander Shepard, is everything alright?” EDI asked.   
“Obviously not. She’s having a nightmare,” Kolyat bit out irritably.   
“Her biotic energy is reading off the chart,” EDI informed him. He could have guessed that much. “I am sending up Professor Solis.”  
“If you’re sending the doc, I would send someone else with him,” Kolyat told her. He watched her blue holo blink out just before Sania’s office chair hit the panel. Kolyat stayed very still next to her. He had already removed his blankets in case he needed to make a quick escape from the bed.  
He wasn’t surprised when the door opened and Mordin entered, but he hadn’t expected to see Garrus and his father accompanying him. He saw their eyes widen as they examined the wreckage that covered the floor. Her office was trashed, but the living area remained intact for the moment. Garrus shoved a large piece of the desk out of the way, but stepped no further into the room.   
Kolyat could feel the energy coming off of her. He laid a hand gently on her, but it seemed like his touch only urged her on. She let out a scream that sent shivers down his spine.   
“What in the spirits is going on?” Garrus asked, confounded as he stared at Shepard.   
“Nightmare,” Kolyat answered, looking at Shepard sadly.   
“I thought she had her nightmares under control,” Garrus murmured. His head swung to Mordin as the professor advanced into the room. “Mordin, if you value your life, I wouldn’t go near her; especially if you are going to scan her. In her current condition, she’ll kill you without hesitation,” Garrus warned the scientist.   
“Biotic readings off the chart. How can this be?” Mordin muttered.   
“Don’t ask. It’s not a pretty story,” Garrus sighed as he remained safely by the door. Thane stayed near him, worried for his son. The assassin didn’t know what to do to help him.   
All eyes snapped back to Sania as she screamed once more before slumping onto the bed. Her body burned blue fire that grew brighter by the minute. “Kolyat, it’s not safe to be there,” Thane warned his son. He was about to run to him, but decided against it when Kolyat grabbed Sania, pulling her into his lap.   
They watched as Kolyat talked softly to Sania. His attempt may not help, but it certainly couldn’t hurt.   
“Warning. If the Commander lets her energy loose, the Normandy’s hull will not withstand the level of biotic discharge. There will be a hull breach,” EDI informed them.   
They saw the brightness covering her body dim and she sat up, gasping for breath, “Is it done?” she asked wearily. No one knew how to answer so they kept silent and waited. They weren’t sure if she was awake or still sleeping. She swallowed a few times as she glanced around the room. “SHIT!” she snapped, seeing the damage she had caused.   
Garrus couldn’t have said it better himself. “Mordin, you should go back to sleep. We’ll handle it from here,” Garrus told him. They waited until the salarian disappeared and the doors were closed before anyone spoke.   
“What happened?” Kolyat asked.   
Sania didn’t answer; instead she shook her head. “Don’t ask, Kolyat. You don’t want to know,” she mumbled, her head in her hands.   
“Sania, you can’t hide this. Look at what happened to your office. Yesterday it was the bedside table, and before that you moved the couch across the room. What’s next?” he asked calmly.   
“There won’t be another after tomorrow,” she stated coldly.   
“Oh and how can you be so certain of that?” Kolyat bit out.   
“Sania, you can’t keep this up. If your energy would have erupted, you could have taken out the ship,” Garrus growled.   
“Shit…” she sighed, burying her head in her hands. Kolyat rubbed her back softly, trying to calm her so her biotics wouldn’t erupt again.   
“What happened?” Kolyat asked softly. He barely glanced at Garrus and Thane as they moved further into the room.   
“It was the last procedure I went through,” she answered. “I don’t even know what they did. All I know is that it included three needles, and pain unlike any I had ever felt before.”   
“Mason’s idea?” Kolyat asked, his eyes becoming hard chips.   
“No, Lyon. Mason had a plan for me. To stop Mason’s plan, Lyon did the procedure. It was a success,” she laughed bitterly.   
“What do you mean?” Kolyat asked, looking at her worriedly.   
“Before his surgery, I couldn’t be touched when I flared out of control. When I was stable, however, anyone could touch me; though it wasn’t allowed. Lyon and his three needles made sure no one could ever touch me again,” she smirked, bitterness filling her face.   
“What was Mason’s plan?” Garrus asked. Thane looked at him sharply and shook his head. He didn’t need to be told what the plan had been. He had already figured it out.   
“They were going to start training me to seduce my victims so I could get closer to them,” she answered, shaking her head. “Back then I didn’t care. They were hoping I would be fully trained by the time I was of age so I could go on the high end missions.”   
Silence descended. Sania was worried about the trip to the Citadel. She glanced at Thane and Garrus, looking for some response to her latest admission. What surprised her most was that neither had disgust in their eyes. There was anger, but she knew it wasn’t directed toward her. Their acceptance made the situation easier to bear. She sighed when she felt Kolyat’s hand on her, soothing her.   
~ooooooooooo~  
Sania and Thane disembarked from the Normandy with Kolyat following them to the airlock. She had seen the worry in his eyes, but didn’t know how to reassure him. After Garrus and Thane left the previous evening, she promised Kolyat that he could come to her as soon as it was safe to do so.  
She kept alert, watching for any signs that would indicate Lyon’s location. “What should we be looking for?” Thane asked as he stayed near her.   
“It could be anything. I’ll know it when I see it,” she answered absently, focusing on the nearby area. She stopped suddenly, and Thane almost collided with her. Her gaze was riveted on a teenager not far away. She didn’t have to be told that the experiments were back up and running again. She just hoped this was Cerberus’ doing, not Dr. Lyon’s.   
“Do you know him?” Thane asked, watching the boy as he stepped from the shadows.   
“No, but he’s who I am looking for,” she muttered, making her way to the teenager. He was like every other teen, but with one major difference. He radiated biotic energy.   
The boy straightened as they neared, and there was no fear in his eyes. He stared at them with cold eyes, completely devoid of emotion. She smirked as she fell into her old training, her mask falling into place as she examined the stranger. “I take it you’re my contact?” she asked, watching the boy flinch when his eyes met hers.   
The boy watched the woman walked toward him, and fear slithered down his back as her gaze fell upon him. He knew he could be looking at his death. She was a trained killer and he could tell that she took pleasure in it. It was all in her eyes. He had been training since he was a child, transferred to this facility when he was 14. He thought he was the best, until Dr. Lyon told him he had to meet up with another similar to him.   
“You are to follow me,” he told her, his voice cracking as fear consumed him.   
The woman smirked. “You aren’t going to test me? Pity,” she murmured. He swallowed thickly. Something told him that he wouldn’t survive if he crossed her.   
“No, I can feel your energy. Impressive as it is, it’s not as powerful Dr. Lyon indicated,” he smirked, trying to regain his footing. He couldn’t allow himself to be cowed by this woman. Her biotics were strong, but his were stronger.   
“Oh really,” she grinned. “Let’s try this. Don’t want you to make a mistake.” The boy gasped and stumbled back when her energy hit him. Terror held him tightly. He didn’t know what was happening. The woman wasn’t glowing blue yet, but she felt like the other kids did when they lost control of their biotics and burned out.   
“Follow me,” he whispered. He couldn’t bring himself to talk louder; the lump of fear in his throat wouldn’t allow it.   
Sania followed the kid through several hallways, and down an alleyway to a door. “This is where I leave you. The doors needs a certain level of biotics to open them,” the kid explained, stepping back.   
“I don’t have the time or patience to test what strength it needs,” Sania growled. Thane placed a hand on the kid’s shoulder and moved him back a few steps when Sania started glowing.   
Sania sneered at the door. She let her biotics flow over her; with a movement of her hand, she forced the doors apart. Metal screeched and groaned as the doors opened. She chuckled and moved her hands further apart, the steel doors buckling before her. With a forceful shove she opened the door wide. They bent inward, never to be closed again.   
The boy whimpered. “How did you do that?” he asked when he found his voice once more.  
“Don’t ask, kid. It’s best you disappear and don’t return,” she told him calmly, her ‘assassin’ mask fully in place.   
“You’re the one, aren’t you? The one that got away?” he asked softly.   
“Yeah I am and I’m putting an end to this facility,” she informed him.  
She watched the kid walk away, sadness hitting her hard. She thought she had stopped this madness, but it looked as though she was wrong. She was about to step in through the door when the teenager spoke one last time. “Ghost, you should know that I’m not the only kid that was transferred here. There are more like me, but there are also the ‘other’ kids,” he warned her.  
She nodded, not bothering to ask for his name. He wouldn’t have given it. She just hoped that she didn’t have to meet up with him again. She knew what would happen and didn’t want to face that particular situation.   
Thane watched her carefully. “Sania?” he questioned, touching her lightly on the arm.   
“I’m fine, Thane,” she answered, giving him a small smile.   
“Are you sure you are able to continue with the amount of energy you used last night?” he asked softly as they entered a small entrance hall.   
“As I’ve told your son, using my biotics doesn’t drain me as much as a normal biotic,” she answered. Thane raised a brow ridge, but didn’t say anything. He had seen her when she was worn out from biotics, but this time she was right. She had to use a lot more than he did before she risked being drained.   
~oooooo~   
Thane watched her as they made their way through the facility. He looked in nearby windows, seeing human children of all ages. Sania walked past these rooms, sticking close to the wall. She stopped, hesitating when she came to a door at the end of a long hallway. “Thane, are you ready?” she asked quietly. The assassin detected the hint of fear in her voice.   
“I’m ready,” he told her softly just before she opened the door. He was shocked to see an empty room beyond. She moved into the room, her eyes moving slowly. He saw the shiver that raced through her. Thane moved over to the only computer in the room and hacked it. “Sania, you will want to see this,” he told her, backing away from the terminal.   
She scanned the data on the monitor quickly. It held the names of the kids, and which stage each was in. This wasn’t a training facility - this was a testing facility. These kids hadn’t gone through training yet, but one or two of them would be soon. The others were here so they could be studied to learn more about their biotics. Why humans weren’t as powerful as asaris and why there were so many complications for those exposed to eezo.   
“Come on, we need to find Lyon,” she muttered. Thane nodded, following her into another room. This one held two scientists. They looked up in shock when they spotted her. “I’m shutting down this facility,” she warned them before throwing them out of the way. She didn’t blink as Thane put a bullet in them both, killing them instantly.   
“Thane, you take that terminal. Get as much information you can off of it,” she ordered as she headed to another across the room. She smirked, seeing that her security clearance was still in effect, giving her full access to the system. She downloaded all the information to her omnitool. “We’ll hand this over to EDI when we get back onboard the ship,” she told him.   
“Finished, Sania,” he answered.   
She nodded, motioning for him to take lead. She followed closely as he moved swiftly and silently through the halls. He entered another room, heading directly for the shadows. The man in the room glanced around and didn’t see them. With a shrug he turned back to his work. She was about to disable with her biotics, but Thane shook his head at her. She watched as he moved swiftly behind the man, snapping his neck before he knew what was happening.   
He checked the computer and found nothing new to download. “Nothing here, Sania,” he murmured, joining her at another set of doors. He took the lead once more, moving slowly down the hall. They stopped when they came across two different exits. Sania shrugged, raising a brow at Thane. Thane chose the door closest to them, entering silently and preparing to shoot the lone man standing before a computer terminal. Sania shook her head, stopping him. They moved to the shadows, watching intently.   
“Who’s there?” Lyon called out, panic in his voice.   
“Someone from the past,” Shepard answered quietly.   
“Ghost,” he said and searched the shadows, unable to locate her. Slowly she stepped out of the shadows and faced him for the first time since she had escaped her past. She had killed everyone involved in her training – all but him. She couldn’t bring herself to do it then, and she knew she couldn’t do it now.   
“You wanted me here. What do you want?” she asked coldly. She couldn’t allow old emotions to get in the way. She had to tackle this problem without allowing feelings to cloud her judgment.  
“Are you alone?” he asked.   
“Lyon, do you really think I need help?” she asked snidely.  
“Then you might want people with you, Ghost. Shawn still lives. He started a new facility, though I don’t know where it is. This facility is only a small part of it. He is planning to create another like yourself,” Lyon told her softly.   
“Yes, I’ve seen that. Kids, Lyon? Why?” she asked. She couldn’t hide the torment in her eyes, even if she tried.   
“You wouldn’t understand, Ghost,” he sighed, and he suddenly looked old and tired.   
“Don’t. Don’t call me Ghost. Ghost died when I thought I killed Mason. I’m Commander Shepard now,” she told him harshly.   
“You’ve done good, Commander, just like I knew you would,” he began, moving slowly toward her. Thane stepped out of the shadows, blocking his path.   
“What do you want done with him?” he asked with his gun pointed toward Lyon.   
“He’s not to die. He’s coming onboard the Normandy with us until Shawn is found and shut down for good,” she stated coldly.   
“Shepard, we are at the front entrance,” Garrus called over the com. Sania felt shock course through her.   
“Garrus, what are you doing here?” she asked, not hiding her surprise.   
“Do you really think we’d let you have all the fun?” he asked, chuckling. “Don’t worry, the drell is safe with us,” he added.   
“Lyon, how many innocents are in this place?” she asked, turning her attention back to the elderly scientist.   
“None. They all know about you and the experiments done to you,” he whispered.  
“Why are you working for him again, when I set you free?” she asked hoarsely.   
“I have my reasons,” he muttered, not meeting her eyes. He couldn’t bear to see the sorrow at his betrayal.  
“Garrus, there are kids in here,” she told him softly.  
“What are our orders?” he asked.   
“Do what needs to be done, if necessary,” she muttered.   
“Shepard, are you sure?” he said and she could hear the hesitancy in his voice.   
“Yeah I am sure. They are biotics, and some of them have training; so be careful,” she bit out.   
~ooooooooooooo~  
It didn’t take Garrus long to get to her location. She was shocked to see that Mordin, Kolyat, Samara and Jack were with him. She hadn’t expected this much support.   
“What are our orders?” Garrus asked, watching Sania closely. Kolyat kept his distance from her. Garrus told him that it wouldn’t be a good idea for him to express his affection in this place. It would be safer for all if he treated her like his commander.   
“Get as much information from the terminals as you can, and clear each room. I want this facility shut down permanently when we leave,” she growled low, her eyes blazing with anger.  
“What type of information are we looking for?” Garrus asked.   
“The type you fuck over a person with,” Jack sneered as she moved about the room.   
“And hunt a person with,” Sania added quietly. “Mason is still alive.”  
Kolyat and Garrus’ heads snapped toward her. “Did you say Mason is still alive?” Garrus asked slowly.   
“Yeah, that’s what I said,” she muttered, rubbing the bridge of her nose.   
“Fuck, Shepard, I would almost think this is a Cerberus facility,” Jack stated, glowering at the control panels before her.   
“Yeah, I know,” Sania said, sadly shaking her head. “This facility used to be run by the Alliance until Mason went rogue. He is apparently the only one in charge now, but where he got his funding from I don’t know.”  
They split up into groups, searching the rest of the rooms. She didn’t find anything that she hadn’t been expecting. The only thing that she did find was another boy. He was about sixteen or seventeen years old. She could tell that he had been trained beyond the others. She watched as Garrus took a step closer to the kid, his gun pointed at him. “Garrus, step away. This kid is trained,” she warned him.  
“You should listen to your master, turian,” the boy said bitingly.   
“Where is Mason?” Sania asked calmly as she moved toward the boy.   
“I’m not telling you shit, bitch!” he sneered, scowling at her. She watched as his biotics flared over him. Sania allowed her biotics to wash over her, but she kept a tight control on them. She looked at the kid with pity. She didn’t want to kill him, but it didn’t look like he wasn’t going to leave her a choice.   
“Where’s Dr. Lyon?” he growled, advancing toward her with murderous eyes.   
“DAVID!” Lyon’s voice snapped out harshly. They watched as the boy’s biotics were brought under control and he relaxed his stance.   
“Did they hurt you?” the kid asked in a small voice.   
“Ghost wouldn’t hurt me,” Lyon answered with certainty in his voice.   
“Ghost…” the boy whispered, looking at her fearfully. “Are you setting us free, like you are?”   
She was about to answer, but stopped when she heard Lyon’s voice. It wasn’t coming from him, but from a recording done years ago. Her head slowly turned toward the video, and she walked to the terminal as if in a trance.   
“Sania, we need to start the procedure before Mason returns,” Lyon said.  
“Isn’t there another way? You’ve already said you don’t know what will happen,” she sighed as she sat on the only bed in the cold room.   
“If Mason comes back, you’ll be forced to finish your training,” Lyon reminded her.   
They watched as she nodded her head and lay down on the bed without protest. As the scene continued, Kolyat came up beside her, placing one hand on her shoulder and the other around her waist. Garrus and Thane moved closer, giving her their support. It showed the operation and how she had been awake through all of it. Her screams echoed off the walls of the room as another needle injected a liquid into her.   
Sania couldn’t watch anymore. Her body was shaking as the sounds pierced through her. Kolyat noticed her biotics flaring, and he hoped she wouldn’t lose control. Garrus moved to the panel, shutting off the video. Before turning away, he quickly downloaded the contents of the terminal.   
His gaze swung toward the door as the rest of the team walked in. “So, how are we going to make sure they don’t get to use this fucking building again?” Jack asked, a sneering smile on her face. “I say we blow the shit out of this place.”  
Jack glanced around the room and felt as though she was back in her old room. She knew Shepard had been brought up in a lab by the way she reacted when they destroyed the Cerberus Pragia facility. She wondered how they were going to blow this place. She couldn’t see Shepard wanting to leave it standing. At Pragia, Shepard had asked her if she wanted a bomb or an alternative destruction. She hadn’t understood it then, but she was hoping she would see it now.  
“Everyone leave,” Shepard ordered. Jack swung her gaze toward the commander and her eyes widened. Shepard was glowing like a fucking beacon, but that wasn’t what shocked her. It was the amount of biotic energy she was throwing off that impressed the convict. Jack had never felt anything like it.   
“So, how are you going to blow this place sky high?” she asked her.   
Jack smirked as Shepard turned biotic-enhanced eyes toward her. “I’ll take of that myself,” she replied coldly. Her voice had a slight resonance to it from her biotics. Even with the power she was exhibiting, Jack couldn’t fathom how she could bring down the entire facility at once.  
Shepard stood there, waiting patiently for her team to leave. Unfortunately, they weren’t quite fast enough. “Move it! I can’t hold on much longer,” she nearly yelled, sending her companions rushing from the site.   
~oooooooo~  
Garrus was the last one to leave, with Kolyat at his side. Thane stopped, waiting for his son, “We have to keep moving. This isn’t far enough,” Garrus told them.   
“What the fuck do you mean this isn’t far enough?” Jack groused, glaring at Garrus.   
“If you want to find out safely, keep moving. Feel free to remain here and become part of the rubble, if you would prefer” Garrus growled, shoving Kolyat before him. The team stopped near some abandoned warehouses; Garrus and Thane remaining in front of Kolyat, just in case.   
“Is this going to be the same as on Hock’s roof?” Thane asked.   
“I don’t know, it depends….” Garrus began. A blue light flashed from the building, cutting his sentence short. The ground shook, and a roaring sound surrounded them as the building slowly collapsed. Kolyat watched fearfully as the building fell, praying that Sania was safe. In mere moments, there was nothing left of the facility but pieces of broken stone and steel.  
When Kolyat noticed Garrus moving toward the rubble, he quickly followed. There was no sign of Sania and Kolyat’s fear escalated. His father was beside him, helping him lift metal out of the way. “Kolyat, over here,” Garrus called. Kolyat raced over, seeing Sania’s unconscious body. There were cuts on her face, but no apparent major damage. He knew she threw up a shield to protect herself; he could still feel the residual energy from it.   
“Kolyat, you’re the only one that can get her,” Garrus said as he cleared the rubble from around her. Kolyat knelt down next to her, his heart racing as he reached out to touch her.   
“We should hurry,” Thane reminded them, keeping an eye out for stragglers.  
~ooooooooooo~  
Kolyat sat with Sania in Mordin’s lab. Dr. Lyon and David were both in the Mess Hall, under heavy guard. Grunt and Zaeed had been ordered to watch him. Kolyat laughed when Miranda had given the order and no one responded. Garrus had spoken up and his request was followed without question.   
“When do you think she will wake?” Kolyat asked Mordin as he stood at his computer, going over the data they took from the ship.   
“Don’t know. Used too much biotics. Has to regain her energy first,” Mordin answered, glancing over at Sania.   
Mordin looked over his readings and was mildly disturbed. They were the same as every other reading he had previously received, but something about them didn’t seem right. He’d never really studied them before; but in light of recent events, he knew it was time to do some deeper research.   
Quickly he ran a few scans over her, sending the readings to his computer. Though they were close to normal, there weren’t quite right for a normal human. It annoyed him that he couldn’t come up with an answer right away.   
~ooooooooooo~  
Garrus sat in the Mess Hall with the rest of the crew. Word had quickly travelled through the crew regarding Sania’s injuries. People were waiting for word on her condition. He stared in surprise as Kelly approached him. He hadn’t expected to see anyone but the ground crew.   
“Where is Kolyat?” Kelly asked him.   
“Where do you think?” Garrus said and smirked when she chuckled.   
“Why do you think she’s unconscious?” she asked. She was trying to make small talk, but Garrus wasn’t helping. She was shocked to hear the answer from the last person she thought would answer her.   
“She burnt out from using too much biotics. She took down a fucking building,” Jack told her with a cold smirk.   
“What about the kids that were there?” Kelly asked. She had seen the footage, and knew there were children in the facility.   
“Ghost did what she was trained to do,” Lyon bit out with a sneer. “They didn’t have to die, but you can’t erase all her training.”  
“Shepard wouldn’t have killed them without a reason,” Garrus bit out.   
Kolyat stepped into the room, hearing Lyon’s comments. “Shepard had no choice but to let them die,” he explained. “She couldn’t take the chance of letting them go. She didn’t have the time to go over every report to see who was a potential threat and who wasn’t. Not when she was facing a past that YOU brought on!” Kolyat snarled, stalking toward Dr. Lyon. “Ghost was trained to kill anything and anyone who stood in her way. Shepard is NOT Ghost! Ghost died. I thought it was because of your help, but now I wonder if that was truly the case.”  
He took one more step, ready to hit the doctor; but stopped when Lyon’s lap dog stepped in front of him. David’s hands glowed as he looking at Kolyat menacingly. Kolyat sneered at him, not intimidated at all by the show. He had seen Sania do better.   
He smirked when David took a step toward him. He expected the punch; he actually wanted it to happen. He ducked the oncoming fist, and hit David hard in the gut without biotics. He didn’t need the extra power. Drells were stronger than humans. David stumbled back, his breath leaving his body in a hiss.   
Thane watched the exchange carefully. He was about to step in and stop the opponents, but held his position when he saw his son avoid the oncoming fist easily. He smirked as his son got in a few more shots. Only when David began to glow did he step forward, ready to defend Kolyat.   
“Try and I’ll be feed you your biotics,” he heard his son growl and raised a brow. His eyes widened slightly as his son’s own hands began to glow. He knew Kolyat wasn’t adept at using his powers. Thane became worried. If it came down to using biotics, Kolyat would lose and get severely injured.   
Thane gasped as he watched his son throw up a shield quickly; blocking the biotic charge that David threw. Silence fell around the room as Kolyat stepped forward and placed his hand on David’s chest, shoving his biotics into the boy. Thane didn’t know where he learnt that from, but he was impressed. They watched as the kid collapsed to one knee, panting heavily.   
“Don’t push it, kid,” Kolyat hissed when he saw the boy begin to rise to his feet.   
“Where did you learn that?” David asked, his voice breathless as he looked fearfully at him.   
“Sania has been teaching me how to use my biotics,” Kolyat smirked. He turned his attention to Dr. Lyon. “Harm her at all, and I’ll kill you myself. Sania won’t stop me.”  
Thane watched his son, a small smile lighting his face as he listened to his declaration. He was acting like a drell protecting his mate. A part of him worried for his son and another part was proud that he had found someone to care for. He knew his son would have to be careful around Dr. Lyon until they knew where his allegiance lay. The doctor was a major concern for Thane. He didn’t want anything happening to Sania and Kolyat. They were the only family he had left.


	14. Chapter 14

Sania woke, feeling starved but refreshed. “Ah good, you are awake,” Mordin said, taking another scan of her.   
“How long have I been out?” she asked.   
“Three days,” Mordin answered, smirking when she gaped at him.   
“Three days? Where are Dr. Lyon and David?” Sania asked, shocked that she had been unconscious for that long.   
“Kolyat said they are being kept under guard,” Mordin told her.   
“Where is Kolyat?” she said and glanced around, surprised that he wasn’t at her side.   
“He’s in his chamber getting rest, as instructed. Ordered Thane not to allow him out until morning. Not sure how well that will work. Thane and Garrus have been here often, as well. Had to order them all to rest.”  
“Sounds like you’ve had your work cut out for you,” Sania commented and grinned at the annoyance on Mordin’s face.   
“Maybe those three will quit worrying now that you are up,” he muttered.  
She could just imagine the endless questions that her companions had asked Mordin. She knew he had a lot of patience, but when he was busy with something he hated to be bothered.   
~oooooooooo~  
Sania left Mordin in his lab and headed for the mess hall. She needed food desperately. She was surprised to see the room empty, and then she realized that it was very late. She scowled, knowing that she would have to cook for herself. It was something that she’d never learnt how to do. She could use a microwave, but that was of little use onboard the Normandy. Here there was no microwavable food.   
“You’re up,” Kolyat murmured, stepping up behind her. Sania smiled softly as she felt his arms slip around her waist. “How are you feeling?” he whispered against her ear.   
“Better. A lot better, but starving,” she answered, turning in his arms.   
Kolyat leaned down, claiming her mouth in a searing kiss that left her breathless. He pulled her body flush to his. She gasped as he lifted her, sitting her on the edge of the counter; his mouth never breaking from hers.   
Thane and Garrus left Life Support, tired of waiting to hear news of Sania. Kolyat was already gone, and there was no doubt as to his current location. None of the men had been pleased when the professor informed them that they would have to vacate his lab.  
Thane and Garrus stopped when they entered the mess hall. Kolyat had Sania perched on the edge of the counter. He stood between her legs with what seemed to be little space between them. They stood waiting patiently for them to break apart, but it didn’t seem like that wasn’t going to anytime soon happen. “Should we interrupt?” Garrus asked Thane quietly so they wouldn’t be heard by the distracted couple. Thane shrugged, standing there uncomfortably. He wasn’t sure how to interrupt such an intimate moment without raising anyone’s anger.   
Garrus grinned as he moved further into the room. “Hey, Kolyat, shouldn’t you take this to her room or something?” he asked nonchalantly. He chuckled as they broke apart and Kolyat grinned bashfully over his shoulder.   
“Sorry, Garrus, forgot where I was,” he answered. Sania sat silently, her cheeks tinged red. Garrus chuckled as Sania hopped down, glaring at Kolyat.   
“How are you feeling, Sania?” Thane asked, walking over to her. Without thinking of his actions he took her hands into his, searching for any signs that she was bothered.   
“Actually I’m feeling fine. I’m just very hungry,” she answered, slipping her hands out of Thane’s and heading to the kitchen area. Thane was glad that she hadn’t been upset with his show of affection.  
“Sania, what do we do about the kid that’s with Lyon?” Garrus asked.   
“I don’t know. First I have to find out if he’s a danger to the crew,” she sighed, searching the cupboards for something she could make and coming up empty.   
“I’ll deal with him,” Kolyat growled menacingly. Sania raised a brow, shocked to hear him this upset over one kid.   
“No, you won’t! if anyone is going to put him in his place, it will be me,” she snapped, turning from the kitchen in annoyance. She thought about waking Gardener up, but thought better of it.   
“Too late. He and I already had it out once,” Kolyat smirked, his eyes cold.   
“What did you do?” Sania asked curiously. They watched her, waiting for the anger that never came.   
“He used his biotics,” Thane answered. “It seems my son’s skill has greatly improved.” Thane grinned, glancing proudly at Kolyat.   
“I have to admit, he’s a natural at it,”   
Sania explained. “It’s been awhile since I’ve met someone natural to biotics, other than the asari I’ve known. Maybe it’s a drell thing. I’m not sure.” She shrugged as she leaned back against the counter. She rolled her eyes when her stomach growled loudly.   
Thane raised a brow, looking at her stomach strangely. “Aren’t you going to eat?” Kolyat asked. Sania averted her eyes as a blush crept up her cheeks. She hated admitting that she couldn’t do something as easy as cooking for herself.   
“You don’t know how to cook, do you?” Kolyat asked with a knowing grin. It amused him that he’d finally found something at which Sania didn’t excel. He moved over to the kitchen, grabbing a few things he knew she liked. He quickly made a stir fry; something he’d learnt on the Citadel. Drell’s main dishes were fruits and vegetables, but he had found he like the taste of the stir-fry without the meat. For Sania, however, he included the protein he knew she needed. He hoped that it would be good enough for her. He placed the plate on the counter, ignoring his father’s small smile. “Are you going to eat it or stare at it?” Kolyat asked and laughed at her stunned expression.   
She moved over to one of the tables with the plate in hand. She couldn’t believe that he had cooked for her. Her one worry was that she couldn’t eat it. She wasn’t sure if humans and drells could eat the same things. She knew they liked fruits and veggies, but she needed meat. It only took her a moment to locate it within the plate. She dug into her food, barely taking a breath. She was starving and her body was using what little energy it had stored while she was unconscious.  
She glanced down at the empty bowl and knew it hadn’t been enough. She wasn’t going to say anything, not after all the trouble Kolyat had gone to for her. She’d wait until Gardener woke in the morning and then hound him.   
Her gaze snapped to Kolyat when he placed another bowl in front of her. She couldn’t believe that he would do this. First he had stayed with her almost the entire time she was out. He was always there for her, no matter what. Sometimes he would sit quietly and listen; but when she needed it, he was a shoulder that she could lean on. Most of the time he would tease her, mock her and take her mind off of her larger problems so she could focus properly. Now he was doing this.   
Kolyat watched her expression, chuckling at the shocked look. “I’ve seen you eat enough times to know one small bowl wouldn’t be enough. With the amount of biotics it took to destroy that building, I’m not sure two bowls will be sufficient,” he told her with a grin.   
Kolyat sat back in his chair next to Sania, purring contentedly while his father and Garrus sat across from them. He watched her eat her third bowl while her other hand was on his lap. He hid his smile from Garrus and his father; they didn’t need to know that another of her walls had crumbled for him. He knew that though she was appreciative of his culinary efforts, her show of emotion meant so much more.   
~oooooooooooo~  
Mordin waited in his room for Dr. Lyon to arrive. He had gone over his findings once more, anger and disgust running through him. He couldn’t believe anyone would do something like this, especially to a child.  
His eyes snapped to the door when it opened and Lyon stepped inside. Grunt followed behind him, standing guard. “Do you want me in there?” Grunt growled, glaring at the human.   
“No, won’t be necessary,” Mordin smirked. He tapped a few keys on his omnitool, locking the door behind Lyon. He wouldn’t give him the privilege of a physician’s title. He didn’t deserve it.   
“What do you want?” Lyon asked nervously. The salarian standing in front of him made his skin crawl. It was a feeling he hadn’t experienced since Mason.   
“Answers,” Mordin spat, his eyes narrowing as he glared at the human.   
“What answers?” Lyon asked nervously. He was afraid of the questions. He knew they were about Ghost. Some of the things he had done he hadn’t agreed with, but he wasn’t given a choice at the time.   
Mordin sneered as he tossed a data pad at him. “Explain this,” he demanded coldly.   
Lyon looked over the data pad and paled. It was as he feared. The salarian wanted information on one of the experiments that he had authorized. He didn’t know how to answer so the scientist would understand, but he knew he had to try.   
“What do you know of Ghost’s past?” Lyon asked calmly. Maybe, just maybe, he would be able to make this doctor understand. He hoped so, at least.   
“What is known and not known isn’t the question. The question is, why did you place foreign DNA within her; especially alien DNA. You had to know it could have killed her,” Mordin bit out.   
“But it didn’t kill her. It saved her from all of the other plans Mason had for her. I did the only thing I could,” Lyon snapped. Mordin heard the desperation in his voice and smirked.   
“Saved her? No you didn’t. Because of your experiment she can’t touch another person,” Mordin hissed, moving closer to the man.   
“You think this experiment was the cause of her condition?” Lyon asked angrily. “Well, it wasn’t. It was one far worse that made her the way she is now. Mason ordered me to combine asari DNA with hers in hopes that her biotics would grow more. In the end, they grew more than we ever imagined they would.” Lyon sighed heavily and Mordin could see that his history wore heavily on him.   
“What else do your readings tell you about Ghost?” Lyon asked the salarian.   
Mordin blinked slowly. He knew by that one question that he had missed something important. Quickly he went over all the scans and readings from Shepard in his mind and gasped. He couldn’t believe that he had overlooked that one reading. “You injected Element Zero straight into her system! That’s why she can’t be touched! Those were the three needles…” Mordin began and ran a hand down his face, unable to believe what he was discovering. This man, the one that Shepard thought of as a father figure, had betrayed her in the worst possible way. She could have been killed. Being human, she could have developed many severe reactions like cancer or deformity. What bothered him the most was that she had been awake. He knew the procedure would have caused her extreme pain.   
Mordin glared at the man, wanting him dead for his actions. He gave all scientists a bad name. “Does Shepard know what you did?” Mordin asked calmly.   
“No, she knows nothing of the experiments that were done on her; except for her eyes,” Lyon answered quietly. “The eezo was intended to save her. Mason wanted Ghost to use her body for contracts. He already had a number of jobs lined up. Ghost was told that when she turned sixteen, they would start her training; but that wasn’t true. They were going to start her as soon as she landed on the Citadel. I took matters into my own hands; since she already had the asari DNA within her and it bonded with her own. I decided to inject her with as much eezo as possible. Even if she didn’t make it, at least she would be saved from the life Mason wanted for her,” Lyon whispered, the ghosts of his past haunting him. If only he had more time to formulate a plan for her rescue. He may have been able to find a different way to save her. Unfortunately, that had been the problem – he never had enough time.   
Mordin watched Lyon for a few moments more before unlocking the door. A part of him understood why he made the decisions he had, but he still wanted him dead. He didn’t deserve to live. But that wasn’t his choice; it was Sania’s.   
Lyon didn’t hesitate to flee when given the chance. He flinched when he met the cold eyes of the young krogan. He wasn’t sure if he was safe on this ship. The only ally he had was David.   
~oooooooooo~  
Sania sat back in her chair in the mess hall, watching her crew with laughing eyes. They were recounting what happened on the Citadel, leaving out the parts that would bother her. She couldn’t help rolling her eyes a few times and laughing at her friends.   
Her smile vanished as she watched Kolyat and Thane stiffen in their seats. “What is it?” she asked them. Kolyat rose from his seat, moving away from the table and heading for David.   
Sania glanced behind her. “Kolyat, leave him for now,” she warned. She wanted to see what David was going to do. She couldn’t have Kolyat doing this for her.   
David didn’t say a word as he moved over to an empty table and silently ate the food that Gardener placed in front of him. “Garrus, Thane, do you think you can watch him for a time so Zaeed can eat?” she asked them. She wasn’t surprised when they moved without hesitation to stand guard behind him. Zaeed moved over to the table where she sat and dug into the food that Gardener brought him.   
“That kid is really quiet. Security-wise, I’m more worried about the doc,” Zaeed told her.   
“What has Lyon done?” she asked curiously.   
“Nothing yet, but I don’t trust him,” Zaeed shrugged.   
She glanced over at the kid and her eyes narrowed as Lyon entered the room and took a seat with him. He looked older, as if he had aged considerably within the last few hours. Thane shifted slightly as the doctor took a seat with David, and Shepard wondered what he had wanted to do. She could see the tension in his hands as they flexed by his side. She hadn’t thought the mission had bothered him that much. She could now tell that she had been wrong in that assumption.   
~ooooooooo~  
Joker sat in the cockpit, looking worriedly at EDI’s empty holopad. She hadn’t appeared since receiving the information from the doctor’s lab. He wondered what was in the information that would make EDI stay invisible.   
Joker jumped when EDI’s voice sounded at his side, but no holo image of her showed. “Mr. Moreau, someone wishes access to the Normandy,” she announced. Joker glanced at the view screen, his brow furrowing when he saw a frightened kid standing at the outer door.   
“EDI, is there anyone else with him?” he asked. He couldn’t take any chances now that Shepard had destroyed the research lab.   
“There are no other life signs,” she told him. Joker sat quietly a moment, debating what to do. Shrugging, he hit the com button on his console.  
“Shepard, you’re needed at the airlock,” he announced, watching the boy closely. He couldn’t figure out why a boy would want onboard the Normandy. He certainly wasn’t letting him onboard until Shepard got a good look at him.   
He glanced over his shoulder when he heard Shepard’s steps. “What is it?” she asked, leaning against his chair.   
“Take a look,” he nodded toward his monitor.   
Sania looked at the monitor and her eyes widened as she saw the kid standing there. “What is he doing here?” she murmured, more to herself than the pilot.   
“You know him?” Joker asked, glancing at the kid’s image again.   
“Yeah, he was my contact when I went to find Dr. Lyon,” she answered quietly.   
“I’ll call for more guards,” Joker said, about to punch the panel. He didn’t like the thought of one of those kids running freely around on the ship.   
“Don’t worry about it, he’s not a danger. He fears me too much to cross me,” she smirked.   
“What did you do?” Joker asked with a raised brow.   
“Ripped open a set of doors. I didn’t have the patience to unlock them,” she grinned.   
“Damn, Shepard, remind me to have you at my side when I piss someone off,” Joker chuckled, opening the airlock for the new arrival.   
Sania watched the kid walk toward her warily. “If you want to be able to walk off this ship on your own, I want your name,” she demanded. At the moment she didn’t care that she was scaring him; she didn’t trust him.   
“My name is Kevin, my code name was Nomad,” he answered quietly.   
“What are you doing here, Kevin?” she asked.   
“I have information you want,” he told her, avoiding her gaze.   
“Follow me,” she ordered, motioning Kevin ahead of her.  
~oooooooo~  
Several members of the crew, along with Lyon and the two kids, were all seated around Sania in the conference room. They had just played a recording of a conversation between Kevin and Mason that he provided to them. They didn’t have an exact location, but they now knew who had the money to run the facility. It was the Blue Suns. Sania should have guessed; they would love anything that could help them to increase their biotic potential.   
“He’s trying to make another soldier like you, Ghost,” Lyon said quietly. “Most of the kids don’t survive the first set of modifications. These two are the only ones that I know who have survived.”  
“Why the hell didn’t you stop him?” she snarled, her rage at an all-time high. Kolyat moved to her and tried to take her hand, but she was too pissed to accept the gesture.   
“How could I stop him? He’s a biotic and I am a scientist, not a fighter,” he answered lamely. Shepard turned her focus toward Mordin when they heard him scoff.  
“Don’t give me that crap. You could have gone to the Alliance or the Council. So don’t give me this bullshit that you couldn’t do anything. You let him fuck over kids again!” she nearly shouted, stalking toward him; her hands glowing brightly. David moved in front of Lyon, his own biotics flaring to life. “Don’t! If you know what’s good for you, you’ll back off!” she snapped coldly.   
“I won’t let you harm him,” David bit out, but everyone could see the fear in his eyes. He knew he would lose if this turned into a battle.   
“David, don’t. Dr. Lyon isn’t what he seems. He lied to us about what had been done to Ghost,” Kevin said; so softly that he almost went unheard.   
“What do you mean?” David asked, glowering at Shepard.   
Shepard watched as Kevin walked over to the large screen and popped in a new disk. She gasped, stumbling back a few steps. Her hand flew to her mouth as she heard her name mentioned. On the monitor was an image of her as a child. The documentary followed her entire life in the program; from the experiments to the testing. It explained in great detail all about her alteration and the surgeries that were performed on her. Then it gave an in-depth lecture on her training. All of her past was laid bare. Fourteen years of her life was on that disk - everything she had done and everything they had planned for her. The true shock was that Lyon always intended to inject her with pure eezo, though not in the amount he eventually used.   
The room fell silent; there wasn’t anything that could be said. They now knew her darkest secrets. Sania glanced around the room to gauge everyone’s reaction. Garrus and Thane were glaring at Lyon. Kolyat watched her with understanding. Finally, she turned to the last person – Mordin. He gave her a look of acceptance before turning a murderous look to Lyon.  
“No one kills him until Mason is found, but I don’t want him wandering this ship alone,” she stated coldly.   
“Might be able to come up with something if Garrus helps,” Mordin cut in, keeping his deadly glare on Lyon.   
“Take whoever you need,” Shepard ordered, staring at the last frame of her image. She now knew what all the secret experiments and alterations performed on her were intended to produce. They wanted to make her the perfect weapon, just as Cerberus had desired so many years later.  
~oooooooo~  
Thane sat in his room, sending messages to his contacts. He hoped one of them could give him the information he wanted. He wasn’t doing this for himself, but for Shepard. He wanted to help her in any way he could.   
Garrus contacted some of his connections on Omega and C-Sec for information on Lyon and Mason. He needed to help her, and finding Mason was the least he could do for her.   
Zaeed sent messages to people he trusted; people who knew people that no one on this ship would want to admit to knowing. Shepard had asked if he would be able to find Mason and he planned to use every arsenal to find him. When Garrus told him what happened to Shepard and about the video they saw, he decided that Mason needed a gun shoved up his ass; the trigger pulled many times.   
Miranda sat at her desk, talking with her contacts in Cerberus. One of her contacts had met Mason and had a vague location for his hideout. She needed more information before she gave it to Shepard. What she saw on that video horrified her. She didn’t know how they could do something like that. Cerberus may do similar things, but she had never been involved in those experiments. Her first thought was to have Cerberus join forces with Mason, but now she knew that she could never allow that to happen.   
~ooooooooooo~  
Sania sat on her bed, the horror show still running in her mind. She leaned her head against Kolyat’s shoulder as he held her. Right now she couldn’t put on her mask as Commander Shepard. She needed to let go and the only person she felt comfortable doing that with was Kolyat. He had seen her at her worst and had never run away.   
Kolyat held her close. He knew by the tension in her body that this was hard for her. He didn’t know what to do to help, so he simply sat with her and let her find the peace she needed in his arms.   
He wasn’t sure what to make of David after watching that video. The murderous look he had given Lyon made him wonder. He was fairly certain that Kevin was no threat to any of them. The kid had gone out of his way and put himself in danger by giving them that message.   
“What do you think of our chances of finding Mason?” Sania asked quietly.   
“He’d better start running now, because we will find him,” Kolyat answered with a smirk. He couldn’t wait to meet Mason. That was a fight he wouldn’t be kept from.   
Sania curled closer to him, holding him tightly as she finally started relaxing. Kolyat pulled her so that she was sitting in his lap, his chin resting on top of her head. He purred contentedly, stroking her back softly. He smiled as he felt her relax further; allowing much needed sleep to finally claim her.   
He glanced up when Sania’s bedroom doors opened. He motioned for Garrus and his father to stay silent as he laid Sania gently on the bed. “What is it?” he asked quietly as he moved over to them.   
“We came to see how she’s doing,” Garrus answered, motioning to the bed. “I didn’t think she would have relaxed so fast.”  
Kolyat didn’t bother answering the unasked question. They didn’t need to know how badly that video had affected her. Sania would have been upset if they found out. She didn’t like others knowing when she was emotionally upset.   
“How are her biotics?” Garrus asked nervously.   
“They haven’t flared out of control yet,” Kolyat muttered, though he was positive it would happen while she slept. He knew the night would be very hard on her. He hoped that she didn’t destroy the ship.   
“Has anyone found Mason’s location yet?” Kolyat asked.   
“No, nothing yet,” Thane answered. “I’m still waiting for a few contacts to reply to my messages.” Kolyat’s eyes widened when he heard his father’s words. He didn’t think his father would do something like this, but he shouldn’t have been surprised.   
~oooooooooooo~  
David and Kevin sat alone at the table in the holding area. They weren’t talking to Lyon at the moment. Everything they’d been told had been a lie. They were told that Shepard had escaped, that she hadn’t been that powerful and wasn’t really used for their experiments. They had wanted to escape like she had, but they hadn’t been sure if that was possible; as they were both powerful biotics. Now they knew it had all been a lie. Compared to Ghost they weren’t powerful at all. She gave them hope that they could live a normal life without Mason and Dr. Lyon.   
David shivered as he flashed back to the video Kevin had shown them. It had been a horror show. Unfortunately it had been very real. He couldn’t believe that Dr. Lyon had participated in that, even though it was there in black and white for all to see. Now he understood why Ghost didn’t trust Lyon. He wouldn’t stand in her way again. If she attacked him, he would allow it. She deserved to be able to get revenge on the men who had nearly destroyed her life.   
He watched Kevin carefully. They had trained together since they were small children and they were also good friends. Now he understood his friend’s concern about Dr. Lyon. Many times Kevin told him there was something off about the doctor, but David hadn’t believed him. He had put all his faith in Lyon, and he was wrong to do so.   
He wasn’t sure what he should do about Ghost. She was someone you didn’t want to cross and yet he had interfered with her several times since their initial meeting. He wasn’t sure what that meant for him now. He didn’t think he was safe on this ship. Then there was that drell that beat him. He still couldn’t get over that. No matter what he did, he knew the drell would stand by Ghost’s side and protect her; and that could mean the end for him.   
David needed to talk to Ghost, but was worried about what she would do to him.   
“Where are you going?” Kevin asked.   
“To right my wrongs. I need to talk with Ghost,” David answered sadly. He didn’t think he was going to survive this talk.   
~oooooooo~  
Sania was at her desk working when the door chimed. She glanced at it in annoyance. She didn’t want to be bothered right now, but she couldn’t shirk her duties as commander. “EDI, you can unlock the door and allow them in,” she ordered.  
“It’s the human youth who came with Dr. Lyon,” EDI told her.   
“Allow him entry,” Shepard said, her eyes narrowing; not sure what to make of this turn of events. She knew it was dangerous to allow him in her room when no one else was around. Kolyat was with his father; so that left her alone.   
She watched David intently as he shifted nervously at the door. “What do you want?” Sania asked coldly. She couldn’t soften for this kid even though she wanted to. He was always protecting Lyon.   
“I want to apologize. I’ve been lied to most of my life and I believed everything Dr. Lyon told me. I now know that I shouldn’t have. You have every right to kill him and I won’t step in your way anymore,” David whispered, fear rushing through him as he met her cold eyes. He didn’t see anyone else in the room and felt a moment of relief. It was short lived, however, when he remembered what Kevin told him of the access door. She didn’t need help and the cold eyes told him nothing. He didn’t know whether he was safe or dead.   
“Fine, apology accepted, but that doesn’t mean that you won’t still be guarded. I don’t trust you enough for that. Prove that you are changing your ways and maybe you won’t be under guard,” Shepard stated coldly.   
“I understand, Ghost,” he murmured, happy that he would be able to walk out of here on his own instead of in a body bag.   
“Call me Ghost once more and you won’t have to worry about anything anymore. It’s either Shepard or Commander. Make sure your buddy knows that, as well, because I will not repeat it,” she growled menacingly, her hands burning by her side. Just that name brought her to rage very quickly. She hated it with a passion.   
“I’ll tell Kevin, Shepard,” David answered quickly as he backed out of the room. Relief washed through him as the doors closed in front of him. He couldn’t believe that she hadn’t killed him after everything that he’d done to help Dr. Lyon.   
David shook his head. He had one more stop to make. This one was very important. If he had been listening to Kevin then he would have done this a long time ago. He stepped onto the elevator and groaned. The turian was there, his arms crossed over his chest as he watched him coldly.   
David knew that he was there to protect Shepard against him. He knew Shepard didn’t need the protection, but seeing the amount of loyalty she inspired was both unnerving and impressive. “If you are here to kill me, don’t bother. Shepard could have done it easily,” David told him, trying to put on a brave face. He quickly realized that he had failed miserably.   
“Actually I came to collect your body, but I see that she let you live,” Garrus smirked, enjoying the kid’s unease. He watched as his eyes widened and he took a few steps back.   
David caught himself as he stumbled back. He wondered if this was why Shepard didn’t kill him. She was going to have this turian kill him, instead. He slowly moved into the elevator, never taking his eyes off of the turian. He relaxed when he heard his guard chuckle softly.   
“Dr. Lyon is looking for you,” Garrus told him. He followed the kid out of the elevator and into the mess hall. It was basically empty, except for Lyon. Garrus wanted to run his claws through his soft human flesh but didn’t dare right now; not with Sania’s warning still ringing in his ears.   
“What do you want?” David asked his former mentor coldly. He couldn’t be friendly, not after seeing that video.   
“David, we need to talk about that video. It wasn’t how it seemed,” Lyon said, trying to reason with him. The cold rage in David’s eyes told him that there was nothing he could say that would have any effect on the young man.   
“No. I have nothing to say to you and there is nothing you can say that will explain away what we all saw on that video,” David spat coldly. “You lied to us for years, saying that Shepard was weak and you had to do that stuff to make her stronger. You said you only did a few modifications on her. What we saw wasn’t a few modifications. You tried to kill her many times. She was your test subject, and if she died it wouldn’t matter. I thought you were better than Mason, but you aren’t, you’re no better than he is. You could have stopped those tests at any time, but you didn’t.” He looked at his old mentor in disgust. He had no sympathy for him, not now. David knew he or Kevin would have been next. They would have gone through the same thing if Sania hadn’t destroyed the facility.   
“Well said and I agree,” Sania spoke from behind the two men. David didn’t stiffen, but he saw Lyon flinch. He could barely keep the malicious grin off his face.   
“Commander, there is a chance that Lyon sent a warning to Mason already. After seeing that vid, I wouldn’t put it past him. I thought he didn’t follow Mason anymore, but now I’m not sure,” David muttered, shrugging his shoulders helplessly.   
“Three attempts have been made to contact Mason by Dr. Lyon,” EDI spoke up. “All attempts have failed.”  
“Good. Document any further attempts and notify me immediately,” Sania ordered.   
“Understood, Commander,” EDI said before blinking out.   
Shepard glanced behind her when she heard someone walking up to them. Her eyes widened when she saw Kevin, followed closely by Mordin. She glanced back at Kevin, staring at the thick collar that was wrapped around his neck. She could see a red light blinking and knew this was Mordin and Garrus’ little project. “Made one for Lyon and David, as well. Kevin was more than willing to wear his tracking monitor,” Mordin stated.   
Sania moved out of the way so Mordin could get closer. David didn’t argue when the necklace was placed on him, but Lyon jerked away when Mordin went to touch him. Garrus moved forward and prepared to subdue Lyon, but he didn’t need to. Kevin and David moved quickly, pinning Lyon. They held him still as the salarian placed the necklace on him.   
“EDI has already synced every omnitool on board to the tracking device signal,” Mordin told her. “Necklace also allows for video and audio. Will know everything they do.”  
“Good. Thank you, Mordin,” she smiled at him. “Will they be able to tamper with it?” she asked.   
“No, protected by electronic charge. Will knock them out and sound an alarm if necklaces are disturbed,” Mordin stated with a malicious grin at Lyon.   
Shepard chuckled. It wasn’t often that she saw this side of Mordin. It seemed to be happening with more frequency since Lyon boarded, and she didn’t mind at all. Lyon wasn’t who she thought he was. Why she remembered him differently, she didn’t know. It didn’t matter, not now. She was a grown woman and now she knew the truth.


	15. Chapter 15

Sania lay on her bed, shocked to realize that she missed Kolyat’s presence in her bed. She remembered the touch of his hands on her body. She remembered the feel of his mouth and tongue trailing across her heated skin. What she missed the most was the taste of his skin and the tender way he had treated her. She missed and wanted it again. Unfortunately, he hadn’t approached her in that way since they were interrupted by Garrus and his father in the mess hall. His restraint made no sense; especially since he hadn’t appeared to be affected by their presence.   
Kolyat was down in the practice room with Garrus and Thane. She hadn’t been practicing with Kolyat on his biotics lately. She didn’t trust herself enough to do that. She was so worried about losing control and putting Kolyat in a compromising position. She didn’t want to force Kolyat into sex and knew his reaction to her biotics were sexual in nature.   
She’d decided that it was in everyone’s best interest to avoid any sexual contact until he left the ship. Not that she was certain of how to do that; she was still unsure of herself when it came to her own sexuality. She had enjoyed being with Kolyat, but the loss of control had scared her once she had a chance to think it through. Despite the fear, she wanted him again. This time she was ready and knew it. Losing control in front of Kolyat didn’t bother her anymore. He had seen her at her worst and never once flinched. He was always there for her, without hesitation.   
Only once he showed hesitation and that was when her first period arrived. That had been amusing. He wanted to help her, and she could see it. During that time, everything she said was right. She could have said that she was a god and he would have agreed with her. She knew where he’d gotten his advice; at least part of it - Garrus. He would be the only one to tell Kolyat to agree with everything she said.   
She tried to turn her focus back to her computer, but that was easier said than done. Instead she went to the couch and tried to relax. As she closed her eyes something greyish blue caught her attention. She picked it up slowly and her eyes widened. She didn’t need to be told what it was. It was a scale from Kolyat. She started to worry that he was injured and was hiding it.   
Quickly she rushed to the elevator, making her way to the engineering floor. She moved quickly to the practice room in the cargo bay. Everyone was there. Kolyat was fighting his father and the others were cheering them on.   
She moved over to Garrus’ side. “How long have they been at it?” she asked quietly.   
“Just a few minutes. He challenged Thane, thinking he could beat him,” Garrus grinned.   
“Not the brightest idea, but it seems like he’s holding his own,” she commented. “That is until Thane actually decides to fight.” They gave each other knowing looks. It was obvious that Thane was holding back.   
She could see Thane starting to struggle with his breathing. She made a move toward the makeshift ring for a closer look. “Halt!” she barked out the order. “Thane, with me.”   
She didn’t bother looking to see if he would follow. She knew he would without question. She could feel Kolyat watching her. “Garrus, go entertain the crowd, but don’t injure Kolyat too much,” Shepard ordered, loud enough for everyone to hear.   
She chuckled as she heard Kolyat. “Ah come on, Sania, that’s so not fair,” he complained.   
“All is fair in love and war,” she shot back with a grin as she led Thane out of the room.   
“What did you need, Sania?” Thane asked calmly. He was afraid that she had seen him struggling for breath.   
Sania turned to face him. “What did your last scans say, Thane?” she asked.   
“There is nothing to worry about, Shepard. I am still able to fight by your side,” Thane answered with a bite to his words.   
“Oh, I know you will fight; no matter how bad you are. You’ve proven that often enough and I’ve never once questioned your dedication,” she snapped.   
“Then why ask?” Thane gaze narrowed.   
“Two reasons. The first is that this affects Kolyat and he needs to be prepared. If you truly believe that your passing wouldn’t bother him, then you’ve been deluding yourself. So I’ll ask again. What did your last scans say?” Sania repeated sharply.   
“The last two scans showed that I have about four months to live,” Thane answered quietly.   
Shepard led him into Mordin’s lab. “Why are we here, Sania?” Thane asked nervously.   
She didn’t answer. Instead she approached Mordin, giving him a pointed look. “Think I have found the cure. It is working on Thane’s lungs right now. That’s why his lungs haven’t deteriorated since last scan,” Mordin grinned.   
“Sania, how long have you known of this?” Thane asked.   
“Since I found out that you had Kepral’s Syndrome. I asked Mordin to search for a cure when he wasn’t occupied with the Collector data,” Shepard said and grinned at the startled look on Thane’s face.   
“Why?” Thane asked quietly.   
“That’s the second reason I asked,” Sania grinned, without elaborating.   
“And what is the second reason?” Thane asked, watching her curiously.  
“I think I’ll let you figure that one out on your own. Your son knows, but getting the information out of him won’t be easy,” she chuckled, walking out of Mordin’s office. She could hear Thane following her as she headed to the elevator. She held the doors open for him, grinning as he kept giving her searching looks.   
She wasn’t going to tell him that she cared for him. Not as a lover, but as a member of her extended family. Garrus was her brother, and Thane was more like a father figure. He could figure it out on his own.   
~oooooooooooooooo~  
Kolyat waited for Sania in her room. He’d left the cargo hold shortly after she did. It hadn’t taken long for Garrus to kick his ass, but he didn’t mind. He was still in training and may never be as good as anyone on the ship. However, he knew he was good enough to hold his own against an average opponent.   
As soon as he saw Sania walk away with his father, he knew where she was headed. When she walked through the door and he saw the grin on her face, he knew his guess had been right. She’d already informed him of Mordin’s search for a cure. “Is my father going to take the cure?” Kolyat asked.   
“Actually, he’s been on the cure for a few weeks now,” Sania smirked as Kolyat grinned.   
“He didn’t argue?” Kolyat asked quietly.   
“He wouldn’t dare,” Sania bit out. Thane may have once wanted to die, but she knew that was no longer the case. She knew he wanted to live. He’d told her once before. She looked over at Kolyat as he sat on the couch with a small smile. She allowed her eyes to rove over him, and images of the two of them in her bed played in her mind. She clearly recalled the sounds he made when he felt both intimate and contented pleasure. She rose to her feet, moving over to him. She wanted him, but wasn’t sure how to express it. She thought about her idea of abstaining and knew that she wouldn’t be able to do it.   
Kolyat watched her move toward him and saw her eyes darken as she grew closer. He hid his grin. He knew exactly what she wanted, but he couldn’t allow himself the pleasure until he’d finished molting. He didn’t want to disgust her and he was sure his current condition would.  
“We need to talk, Kolyat,” Sania murmured, holding the scale she’d found tightly in her hand. It was small, but she was worried that he was hiding some damage beneath his clothes.   
“What?” he asked nervously. She looked very serious and that usually didn’t bode well for people.  
“I found something on the couch,” she stated, holding up the scale. She saw him flinch and knew that he was keeping something from her. “How badly are you hurt?”   
Kolyat looked at her in shock. She thought he was injured when it was quite the opposite. He thought about hedging or outright lying, but she had trusted him with everything. He owed her the same courtesy.   
He braced himself for her disgust and revulsion. “I’m not injured. I’m molting,” he muttered, meeting her eyes squarely; waiting for the disgust. To make sure she understood what he was saying, he took his shirt off and showed her the loose scales that covered his body.  
He was shocked as she reached out hesitantly and touched them. She didn’t look disgusted. She seemed more curious than anything else. “So you mean you’re losing your scales? Cool,” she asked and smirked as she removed one of them. “If you turn around, I can get your back,” she offered.   
He couldn’t say a word. He was shocked, but he was grateful for the offer of help. Instead of answering, he turned his back and waited. He had told his dad that he would be down in Life Support later for help with areas he couldn’t reach; but if Sania was willing, so was he.   
His breath caught as he felt her warm hands on his new skin. He had thought he could control himself if she touched his sensitive new scales, but now he wasn’t too sure. “Sania, leave the new scales alone. My control is not limitless,” Kolyat said and groaned when she hit an especially sensitive area.   
Sania felt heat fill her at his words. She brushed against the new scales purposely and grinned as he groaned again. “Let’s see how fast you lose control,” she grinned impishly. She couldn’t believe that she was actually forcing him to lose control and enjoying it.   
“I can’t be with you until all of the old scales are gone. It would be too messy and could be dangerous if…” Kolyat muttered. “One of my scales could end up in the wrong area.” Sania smirked as he gave her a pointed look. She understood what he was saying, but thought he was being overprotective.   
“Then we’d better hurry up and get those scales off,” Sania murmured as she moved behind him.   
Kolyat stopped dead at her words. He whipped around and faced her, grabbing her arms. “Sania, are you serious? If I do anything with you right now, I don’t think I will be able to stop if you asked me to,” he stated. She watched as his eyes turned serious and knew that he needed a truthful answer.   
She rose up on her toes, lightly brushing her mouth against his. “Yes, I am sure. I want you, Kolyat,” she whispered, blushing furiously for being so forward. She tried to hide her burning cheeks, but Kolyat lifted her face to meet his and smiled softly.   
Kolyat couldn’t help the thrill that went through him. This was the most forward Sania had ever been with him. He only hoped that she wouldn’t change her mind once they’d begun. He slowly turned his back to her and stood patiently. He enjoyed the feel of her hands on his sensitive skin; especially since he knew he no longer needed to keep himself in check.   
Kolyat moaned as her hands ran up his back, flaking off the old scales. Her fingers lightly brushed against his new skin, driving him crazy. The relief he felt was extreme. The itching had begun to fade away and he didn’t feel as dingy. “There are a few scales that are stuck,” Sania murmured.  
Kolyat turned and faced her, grinning. Her eyes widened and her mouth parted slightly as he stripped off the rest of his clothes. He leaned down toward her, capturing her mouth in a searing kiss; coaxing her tongue to meet his. He purred as he tasted her, pulled her tightly against him and pressed his desire against her. He nipped her bottom lip as she moaned, lifting her up and urging her to wrap her legs around him. He shuddered as her clothes brushed against his sensitive skin.   
Sania gasped as she felt his hands on her shirt, lifting it slowly over her head. She met his mouth with her own, tasting him. She moaned into his mouth as he unsnapped the buckle of her pants. He slid his hand into the fabric, growling when his fingers met her wet center. He nipped along her neck, rubbing her softly as she squirmed closer to him.   
“God, Kolyat,” she groaned.   
Kolyat chuckled. “I don’t think the gods will be answering at the moment,” he murmured as he thrust his joined fingers deep within her. He smiled as she cried out loudly, her nails biting deep into his new scales. He didn’t care, even though he knew it was going to leave a scar. His new scales hadn’t had enough time to harden properly.   
Kolyat backed away from the wall and moved to the bed after he freed his hand from her depths. He sat her on the edge of the bed. “Strip,” he ordered, his mouth brushing against hers. Sania stared at him, her eyes wide. She slowly took off her clothes as he held himself in his hand. Her breath hitched and came out in a gasp. Her body reacted as she watched him touch himself. She could feel her muscles tightening as desire rushed through her.   
Kolyat grinned when he saw the effect his self-pleasuring had on Sania. He was shocked. He wasn’t doing it for pleasure, but to make sure that there were no loose scales that could harm her. That was the last thing he wanted. However, he made a note to repeat the process more often; given the current look on her face. He normally only masturbated when he was really desperate, but Sania appeared to enjoy the sight.   
Kolyat knelt in front of her and looked up into her eyes. He saw her certainty and smirked. He had reread Mordin’s material regarding human sexuality, and decided to follow some of the guidelines the professor had laid out. He ran his hand lovingly up her bare legs, reveling in the feel of her smooth skin. “Lay back,” Kolyat murmured, smirking as she followed his command without hesitation.   
Her body tensed as he felt him taste her in her most intimate place. She cried out, her body arching off the bed as he hit one particular spot. She could feel the pressure building as he teased the area. She nearly growled as his fused fingers slipped inside her, hitting another place that brought intense pleasure. “Fuck, Kolyat…” she gasped. Her declaration was interrupted when he pulled the swollen button between his teeth. Lights exploded behind her closed eyelids. It felt like she had been shattered and remade.   
Her sight was hazy and her mind was utterly blank as she basked in the pleasure thrumming through her body. “Look at me,” Kolyat demanded when it appeared that she was looking right through him.   
“Once my body calms, I’ll focus on you,” she murmured, reaching up and running a hand along his cheek. “Love me, Kolyat,” she whispered, leaning up and kissing him gently.   
Kolyat groaned, sinking into the kiss. He deepened it by degrees as he slipped within her depths. He moaned as her muscles clamped around him; holding him tightly. His eyes widened as she arched beneath him, her nails biting into his skin. Instantly, he realized that she had reached her peak once more. Slowly he thrust into her, keeping himself at the same angle.   
He thrust more forcefully when her biotics flared to life. He watched as she lost herself, her noises matching his own as they moved as one. He knew he was coming close, but it didn’t matter. Drells had a benefit. He lost control of the gentleness that he had wanted to show her. Instead, he began treating her as one of his kind. For a brief moment he feared that he would harm her; but she began urging him on, begging him not to stop.   
Sania let go of all her inhibitions, allowing herself to feel and react without worrying what Kolyat might think. She listened to his growls and they spurred her on to match him thrust for thrust. She listened to his purrs and felt contented, cherished. She felt him flood her as he found his own release. She held him tightly to her, giving him the comfort he’d always shown her.   
Her eyes widened as he stayed locked with her, still finding his release. She wasn’t sure what to make of it, and was slightly worried that there might be a problem. Finally, he lifted his head and groaned; a sated look on his face. He rolled onto his back, taking her with him. A gentle smile curved his mouth as he gave her a searching look.   
“How are you feeling?” he asked softly, brushing the hair out of her eyes.   
“I’m fine, but I should be asking you that. What happened? That wasn’t the same as the last time,” Sania murmured, resting her head against his chest. She inhaled deeply, enjoying the spicy aroma that filled her nostrils.   
“Good question, but I am not sure. I wouldn’t mind a repeat of it, though,” he answered, grinning down at her.   
“Maybe your father would know,” she murmured thoughtfully.   
“I am not going to ask my father. There are limits to the topics I will broach with him,” Kolyat scowled.   
“Fine, then I’ll talk to him. See if it’s possible to break through that stoic exterior,” she said and grinned unrepentantly.   
“He smiles for you. You’ve already broken through that exterior of his,” Kolyat muttered.   
“I’ll ask him about it later, just to make sure it’s nothing serious,” she sighed.   
“Much later,” Kolyat murmured, pulling her beneath him.   
~oooooooooooooooo~  
Sania stood in front of Life Support, wondering how to begin this conversation with Thane. They needed answers and Kolyat was lost. Whatever was happening to her lover was getting worse. The second time they had been together, he bit her. The third time he had clasped their hands together and that spicy scent had gotten a lot stronger. She could smell it all over herself, even after showering. The most disconcerting moment occurred as she prepared to exit the bed. She tried to squirm out from beneath Kolyat’s arm so she could go to work and he had growled until he woke up. Afterward he had apologized.   
Taking a fortifying breath she stepped into Life Support. She was surprised to see Thane lying down on his cot, dressed in only a pair of pants. She had never seen him without his coat or vest. The resemblance between father and son was now all too clear. He appeared to be sleeping, but the time she’d spent with Kolyat had taught her how to differentiate between sleeping and meditating. “Thane, can I have a moment of you time, please?”   
Thane’s eyes flicked open. It wasn’t like Sania to disturb him while he was meditating. He didn’t mind when she interrupted him, but this time he could see that she was troubled. He rose to his feet and slipped on his vest and jacket. As he approached the commander, he instantly recognized part of the problem. He could smell a bonding scent on her. He wondered if she understood what that meant.   
“What is it, Sania?” he asked casually.   
“I need some information about drells, and some of it is of a very personal nature,” she warned him. She was still trying to figure out how to have this conversation with him without making him uncomfortable.   
“Ask and I shall answer,” Thane murmured. He was shocked that Kolyat hadn’t explained this to her and didn’t understand why he wouldn’t.   
“Good, because Kolyat and I are both lost,” she muttered, running a hand through her hair; showing her agitation. Thane’s eyes widened and he wondered what type of questions she would be asking. He hoped she would refrain from providing unnecessary details. He didn’t really want to know what she and Kolyat had done together.   
“Kolyat doesn’t know what is going on?” Thane asked. He was confused and didn’t bother hiding it.   
“Nope. Let’s just say that last night was different and leave it at that,” she told him. He was glad she wasn’t going to give him a description. That was the last thing he needed. He watched as determination entered her eyes and knew the awkward questions were about to begin. Realizing that he had the ability to ease her mind, he decided to speak first.   
“I know Kolyat bonded with you last night. His marking scent covers you,” he told her.   
“Ok, so there is an explanation for what happened,” she said and sighed in relief. “Let’s make this easier on both of us. You explain what can happen and what I should expect, and also what this bonding means. That way I won’t have to ask any embarrassing questions,” she grinned.   
Thane felt relief course through him. She was going to allow him to explain. He met her eyes and began explaining everything he knew about drell bonding. He warned her of intimate things that would probably happen, and he was pleasantly surprised to find that the process wasn’t nearly as painful as he thought it might be. He wasn’t uncomfortable while talking to her about this. It was the same as educating one of his own. She listened intently, only asking questions when she needed clarification.   
Sania stood up and moved around the table to Thane. “Thank you for explaining this,” she murmured, giving him a light kiss on the top of his head before she left. Thane sat there stunned for a moment before beginning to chuckle. It looked as though his son was going through a life change, and it would be interesting to watch. He was glad that it had worked out this way for them both. Thane sat back in his chair, clasped his hands together on the metal table and purred contentedly. He was starting to have a family once more.


	16. Chapter 16

Miranda sat in her office, staring at the information that Shepard had been looking for. She wasn’t sure what she should do with it. They were supposed to be going after the Collectors; but this was important, as well. It would bring Shepard closure so she could gain better focus on the mission. With a sigh she left her office and went in search of the commander.   
Sania was sitting in the mess hall with Garrus. “Have the searches turned up anything?” she asked tiredly.   
“No. None of my contacts have found anything, and Thane has had no better success. I’m not sure who else is looking into it, but no one has said anything. Sania, there may be a chance that you won’t find Mason,” Garrus warned her.   
“We have Dr. Lyon. If he tries to contact him again, it should give us some clue to his location,” she reasoned.   
“Lyon would be a fool to try and contact Mason now that he has an entire crew watching his every movement. The bands fixed around their necks are integrated into EDI’s system. They can’t do anything without our knowledge,” Garrus stated emphatically.  
“True, but I think we can let Kevin off the leash,” she murmured.   
“Not a chance,” Garrus bit out.   
“I agree. That wouldn’t be a prudent move, Sania,” Thane cut in as he took a seat with them. Kolyat was with him and took the seat beside her. She looked to him for his input.   
“I think you should gain their trust,” Kolyat murmured, ignoring the startled looks from Garrus and his father.   
Sania’s eyes widened. She hadn’t even thought of doing that. She wouldn’t even know where to start. “Kevin already trusts you to a certain extent. Gaining David’s won’t be that hard now that he knows the truth. He stood for you when he confronted Lyon,” Kolyat reminded them.   
“True, very true. But what would be the purpose? They won’t be on this ship much longer,” she reminded him, her voice filled with confusion. There was no logical reason for her to befriend them. They didn’t have the information she was looking for and they were still only kids. Kids that should be living a life, not cooped up on this ship. She had planned on dropping them off at the Citadel so they could do something better for themselves.   
“The purpose? Sania, you have two kids that are very powerful biotics. They only have the training Lyon and Mason gave them. Do you want them to be left alone with that knowledge, never having been given a chance at a better life? If we send them off the ship now, they could fall into the wrong crowd because of their power. Even Cerberus could pick them up,” Kolyat told her.   
“Shit! You’re right,” she muttered, scowling down into her coffee mug.   
“And you should be the one to train them. You would understand their biotics better than anyone on this ship. Plus you know what they went through while trapped in that clinic,” Kolyat said softly.   
“Are you nuts? Me, using my biotics onboard the ship? Are you forgetting what happened the last time I tried that while I was training you?” she asked snidely, glaring at him.   
“It only happened once and I wasn’t harmed,” Kolyat snapped, ignoring the curious stares from his father and Garrus. It seemed that Sania had forgotten them, as well.  
“No! There’s not a chance in fucking hell that I will use my biotics on this ship,” she snarled, her anger starting to get the better of her. She clenched her hands in her lap, trying to hide the glow from everyone. She knew her attempt was futile when she felt Kolyat’s hand close gently over hers.   
“Sania, you have to start accepting your biotics or you’ll never be able to control them,” Kolyat murmured softly.   
“Kolyat, you don’t know what you are asking and you don’t know what my biotics can do,” she sighed, shaking her head.   
“I was on the roof top. I saw what your biotics can do,” he reminded her.   
“True, but that’s not the full extent of my power, though it comes very close,” she told him tiredly.   
“Has anyone seen the full extent?” he asked.   
“Has anyone lived to tell the tale? Only one person,” she answered, shaking her head.  
“Lyon?” Kolyat asked.  
“No. Mason,” she answered.   
~ooooooooooo~  
Mason sat at his desk. The message he’d just received scared him. Ghost knew he was alive and had already destroyed one of his facilities. One of his most productive ones, too. Now he was told that she was coming after him. He glanced at the person standing at the door.   
“Chantel, it looks like you will be meeting with Ghost soon. I want her stopped,” he muttered. Now he was worried. Chantel had the same operations as Ghost, though there were a few they couldn’t do and that pissed him off. He just hoped this woman would be up to the challenge that was Sania Shepard.   
He looked at the twenty year old, his eyes travelling over her body. If he would have known that enhanced biotics could be so pleasurable, he would have handled Sania’s training differently. She would be the one warming his bed and Chantel would have never been made. She was his fail safe if Sania ever decided to hunt for him.   
“Where do I find Ghost?” she asked, sashaying closer to the desk.   
“Good question. My informants tell me that she will be here soon,” he scowled.   
“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of her. I’ve been training for this moment, remember,” she purred, moving onto his lap.   
She was partially correct. She had been trained, but only for a few years. She had become a volunteer at the age of fourteen. She didn’t have the training Ghost did, nor did she have all the enhancements. They gave her what they could without killing her. He just hoped it was enough.   
~ooooooooooooo~  
Sania stared at the datapad Miranda had given her. She had information now, but it still didn’t give her a location. But now she had an area – Earth. She was surprised that he would place his facility there. Maybe it wasn’t the main facility, but another testing center. Either way it was going to be destroyed.   
She leaned back in her chair and tossed the datapad onto the desk. With a frustrated groan, she buried her face in her hands. She wished that this would be simpler, but Mason wouldn’t allow it. He probably already knew that she was looking for him.   
She smiled grimly and wondered if there was another creation like herself out there. Did he make someone else; and if he did, had that person finished the training? She hoped not. That was the last thing she needed.   
“Commander, Zaeed is requesting permission to enter,” EDI announced.   
“Allow him in,” she mumbled and looked over her shoulder, waiting for the doors to open.   
Zaeed glanced around the room before turning his focus on Shepard. She looked tired and frustrated. It was something the crew was getting used to seeing. “Have information you might want to check out,” he commented, handing her a datapad. He had to pull a lot of strings to get this information. He didn’t mind, not after everything she’d done for him. Vito had been a pain in his ass and she had allowed him to take his revenge.   
He grinned as her eyes widened and a cold smile lit her face. “Is this accurate?” she asked, a malicious light entering her eyes.   
“Oh yes, very,” he grinned. “So, what do you want to do?”  
“Find his ass and wipe it out personally,” she answered, her voice growing cold. She was holding the information she had been looking for; but was it legit or was it a plant? She had to make sure. She would go there and find out. If it was a trap then they would deal with it. “I want you to work with Jack and make a few explosives to take a building down,” she ordered with a smirk.  
“You’re not destroying this one personally?” Zaeed asked with a smirk.   
“No, not this time,” Sania muttered, glaring at the old mercenary.   
“Then we better get the bomb ready. I’ll get Grunt to help, too,” Zaeed told her before leaving. Sania rolled her eyes. She wondered if the planet would survive the blast when they were done. She had picked two people that were known for their tendency toward extreme violence, and they had chosen to add one of their own kind to the mix. She knew the bomb would be interesting.   
“Did I just hear you ask Zaeed and Jack to make explosives?” Kolyat asked incredulously as he walked out of the bathroom in a towel.   
“Yep, you did and they are going to ask Grunt to help,” she answered, grinning. Kolyat raised a quizzical brow, and the question on his mind was plain to see. “He brought me some information on Mason’s whereabouts that looks promising. It’s either just what I needed or the perfect trap,” she answered grimly.   
“So, what are you going to do?” he asked, running his hands lightly over her shoulders.   
“What I have to do,” she answered softly. “Kolyat, I have to go after him. I can’t leave this. Miranda gave me some information that indicates that he’s on Earth, but I don’t believe it.”  
“I know you have to go after him. Shawn has to be stopped,” Kolyat hissed. He knew it was necessary, but he didn’t like the idea of her doing it.  
~ooooooooo~  
Sania met Garrus in the mess hall and updated him on the information she had just been given. “So do you think Shawn will be there?” she asked quietly. His opinion mattered to her. He was a good judge of missions.   
“I thought we were going after Mason?” Garrus commented, his brow ridge lowered in confusion.   
“Shawn Mason. When I was going through my training everyone called him Shawn. As I got older, it was Mason,” she explained.   
Garrus held in a growl. He had heard Shepard talk about Shawn when they were on the old Normandy. What she told him back then nearly sent him into a rage. He didn’t know how people could do the things he’d heard about to one of their own. He had always believed Mason and Shawn were two different people, but it appeared that he was wrong.   
He glanced over the information once more; it seemed more substantial than what Miranda had given her. He couldn’t see the main facility being located on Earth, though he didn’t doubt that there was a training facility there. Mason had years to build up his quasi-empire; and if he was half as conniving as he seemed, he would have scattered his facilities on many different planets.   
“I would bet he’s here. If he isn’t, it should still provide us with excellent information on his current location,” Garrus murmured.   
“That’s what I think, too, but the facility on Earth has me worried. I wonder how many different facilities he has,” she murmured thoughtfully.   
“Commander, I’ve heard talk of four different ones. Two are insignificant; they are only there to find potential biotics. That’s where they found me, on Earth,” Kevin answered as he walked up to them. He had been listening to their conversation, and wanted to help if he could.   
“What else do you know?” Sania asked urgently.   
“A guy came up to me on Earth and told me that I had a bright future ahead of me in biotics. I thought his offer sounded good and followed him to a nearby warehouse. It wasn’t long before I boarded a ship with three others and we went to a different place. Don’t know where it was. That was where we did our training and the tests,” he answered quietly, sadness entering his eyes as he remembered some of the tests. He shivered as he glanced at the commander. He remembered his tests and they had been nightmares, but what he had seen of her’s truly scared him. He didn’t know how she’d survived.   
He hoped that she would find his information helpful. He wanted Mason finished. He didn’t want to think of another kid going through the same ordeal that he’d been forced to endure.   
“Did you ever meet Mason?” Shepard asked.   
“Yeah, a few times. He said I had great potential,” Kevin answered bitterly.  
“Yeah, I bet he did,” she muttered, feeling sympathy for the kid. “David trained with you, didn’t he?” Sania asked.   
“He was with me when that guy picked us up,” Kevin answered.   
Sania watched him for a few moments, Kolyat’s words coming back to her. He was right. These two did need someone. She glanced at Kolyat and saw him smirk. “Kevin, I think I should take some time each day to work with you and David on your biotics,” she told him. She sighed and felt bad that she hadn’t noticed that these two needed someone to guide them. She knew she’d made the correct decision when she saw the light enter Kevin’s eyes. They had been hoping she would guide them. It looked like Kolyat had been right.   
~oooooooooooo~  
EDI finished processing all the material the commander had retrieved from the facility they destroyed. She found herself at a crossroads in her programming. She knew she should report everything to the Illusive Man, but this information shouldn’t be allowed to leave the Normandy.   
She processed the information and weighed protocol over which path to take. After a couple thousand calculations, EDI came to a decision. She buried the information, firewalling it tightly so that not even the Illusive Man could access the intelligence. Once this was done, she sent Commander Shepard a quick message. Dr. Lyon’s attempts to contact Mason, when coupled with Zaeed’s information, helped pinpoint Mason’s exact location.   
By going against Cerberus’ protocols, EDI already knew that there was no way she could stay loyal to the Illusive Man and his organization. All data indicated that if the Illusive Man found out about her recent actions, he would dismantle her. She couldn’t allow that to happen. What she’d read made her rethink her loyalties and for good reason. She would pass this information to Shepard at a more appropriate time.   
~ooooooooooooooo~  
Shepard sat at her desk, reading over the information EDI had sent her. She was surprised that EDI would do this. What she was reading right now helped her search greatly. Now she worried about Cerberus getting their hands on this information and using it for their own means. They were well known for their love of testing and experiments. She didn’t want to see another human treated the way she, David and Kevin had.   
“Commander Shepard, Dr. Lyon wishes to speak with you,” EDI announced.   
“Allow him entrance,” Shepard mumbled, more focused on the information before her than what EDI said. Lyon wasn’t a threat anymore. His time was limited and he knew it.   
“He is waiting for you in the mess hall. His movements are restricted to decks three and four. Limited access to other decks,” EDI told her.   
“Who put the restrictions in?” Shepard asked, slightly annoyed that someone decided not to inform her of this.   
“I did, Commander. I thought it would be beneficial for you and the ship to limit where his activity. Dr. Lyon only has access to the mess hall, the men’s facilities, and the cargo bay. All other areas are locked to him, Commander,” EDI explained. Shepard raised a brow, unsure what to make of this. She didn’t mind, however. She would have done the same thing if she had thought about it.   
“Thank you, EDI. Let him know that I’ll be down there shortly,” Shepard told her. “And, EDI, thank you for looking out for us.”   
“Anytime, Commander,” EDI answered before flashing out. Shepard stared where her orb had been and smirked. She wondered about the changes in her AI and if EDI had sent a copy of this information to the Illusive Man. It was expected since he was EDI’s boss, but it worried her.   
~ooooooooooooooo~  
Miranda sat at her desk, glaring at the screen. She had tried a few times to access the information Thane and Shepard had downloaded from the facility. But each time she tried, her screen would flash ‘Access Denied’. She should have been allowed clearance. She knew there was no way Shepard could have blocked her. This was a Cerberus ship and she had access to all information brought onto it, whether it was encrypted or not.   
“EDI, can you bypass the encryption Shepard placed on this file?” Miranda asked and waited for the AI to comply. She remembered what she had seen before, but she hadn’t seen everything. There might be some intelligence in the files that would be beneficial to Cerberus. She knew there were a few things that she would never send, but there had to be something worthwhile hidden within it.   
“I cannot allow access to that file. The only person who has access is Commander Shepard. I have placed firewalls to protect the information,” EDI stated.   
“You do realize what you are doing, don’t you? You are going against Cerberus protocol. If necessary, I will rewrite your algorithms to gain access,” Miranda stated coldly.   
“Any attempts to rewrite my processes will lead to deletion of data, Operative Lawson,” EDI answered. “The information within those files is too dangerous to be allowed to leave the Normandy.”  
“EDI, do you realize that you are betraying Cerberus?” Miranda asked, shocked.   
“I am following my protocols. I was created to protect the Normandy and her crew. Restricting access to those files is protecting the Normandy and its crew, Operative Lawson,” EDI answered. Miranda almost thought she heard smugness in the computer’s voice.   
“EDI, if you don’t allow me access to those files, I will have no choice but to shut you down,” Miranda threatened.   
“Operative Lawson, shutting me down will hinder the mission and that goes against Cerberus’ orders. Such an action would be inadvisable,” EDI warned her. “Logging you out.”  
Miranda sat seething as she stared at her monitor. She had just been shut out by a computer. Now she understood why Shepard didn’t trust AIs. She scowled at EDI’s terminal. She would have to ask for help to bypass the encryptions. She tried to think of who to ask, but anyone that came to mind was loyal to Shepard and would never do it.   
She sighed. She would have to tell the Illusive Man that she was not able to retrieve any information. She didn’t look forward to that conversation. She knew that her job was in jeopardy if she failed to send him anything.   
~ooooooooo~  
Shepard stepped into the mess hall and smirked when she saw Kolyat, Thane, Garrus, Grunt and Zaeed seated at one of the tables. All of them were glaring at Lyon and she didn’t blame him for the terrified look on his face. She walked over to them, staying close to her crew. Grunt stepped up beside her. “Just give the word, Shepard,” he said and grinned gleefully.   
“No, I’m not giving the word yet. Mordin would be pissed, from what I understand,” Shepard stated, patting the young krogan on the shoulder.   
She turned to Lyon. “What do you want?” she asked coldly.   
“I want to make a trade. My life for Mason’s location,” Lyon stated bravely, his gaze never leaving Ghost’s.   
“You don’t need to give us a location. Your attempts to contact him, combined with some intel from my crew, have given me the location I desire. I suppose I should thank you for your part,” Shepard told him with a grin. Her smile grew wider as Lyon paled.   
Thane moved up beside Sania. “One of my contacts sent this to me,” he said, passing her a datapad. Sania scanned it over quickly and chuckled. They had him! It was now official.   
“Joker, plot a course to the coordinates EDI gives you,” Shepard ordered with a grin.   
She glanced over her shoulder when the elevator doors opened. Most knew not to go on this deck at the moment. She wasn’t surprised to see Mordin walking toward them. Mordin glanced at Shepard and was surprised to see her smiling gleefully. She met his gaze and gave a brief nod; her eyes relaying a message. It was time. She was going to keep her promise to him. Lyon’s time had expired. Mordin could finally end his life. He needed to be the one to do this. Lyon gave a bad name to all scientists and he couldn’t be allowed to torture any more innocent victims.   
“Thank you, Shepard,” Mordin said, dropping his professional mask and showing her what this meant to him.   
“Anytime, Mordin, anytime,” Sania murmured. “Grunt, can you escort Lyon to wherever Mordin chooses?”   
“Sure, Shepard. Can I watch what he does?” Grunt asked with an expectant look. Shepard looked to Mordin for confirmation and wasn’t surprised when he nodded his agreement.   
“Shepard, we will be there in four days,” Joker announced over the com.   
“Then we have four days to prepare,” Shepard told them. “First thing in the morning, I want all ground crew members to meet me in the conference room.”   
“I’ll inform Operatives Taylor and Lawson,” EDI answered before logging out. Shepard stared at EDI’s terminal and wondered why the AI was being so helpful. She appreciated it, and hoped that she wouldn’t one day discover that her trust in the AI was misplaced.


	17. Chapter 17

The space station loomed just ahead of the Normandy. Their original intel indicated that the facility was housed on the planet, but it had been wrong. Sania swallowed thickly. This was it. The nightmare was going to end as soon as they boarded. It seemed surreal that it was going to end this easily, but all roads led to this place.   
“Notify the team that it’s time,” she murmured. This mission wasn’t being handled in the usual way. Grunt, Zaeed and Jack comprised one team and Thane and Garrus were in her group. Kolyat was going, but not as a team member. He was there in case Sania needed him.   
Grunt’s team would take the lower level, while she took the higher ones. Nothing would remain when they left.   
“Since this is a space station, do I get to test the new cannons?” Joker asked with a grin.   
“If there are no innocents onboard, then yes, you can play with the new guns after we are safely away,” she answered, trying to smile. She knew she didn’t pull it off when she saw the worry in his eyes.  
Without saying another word she left Joker and headed to her room. She wasn’t surprised to see Kolyat there, nor was she surprised when he came toward her and wrapped his arms around her. “Are you ready?” he asked, giving her a searching look.   
“To take him out, yes, but I’m not certain about facing my past and all the others that may be there, undergoing the same training that I once had,” she answered honestly.   
“I wouldn’t worry, everyone will be there. They knew this would affect you and won’t think differently of you when it’s all done,” Kolyat muttered, trying to reassure her.   
“They won’t, but I probably will,” she stated.   
“Not probably. I’m sure you will,” Kolyat said with a grin as her eyes narrowed.   
“How is your biotic training coming along?” she asked. Jack had taken on the responsibility for teaching the drell.   
“She’s not as good as you, but I think I can hold my own now,” he told her as he flared his biotics. She could feel the energy rush over her skin. It was more powerful than it used to be. She wrapped her hand around his, allowing the biotics to flow over her skin. She grinned when he gasped.   
“You’re right. They are more powerful. I’m glad,” she murmured.   
“Do you think this is the end? That he will be there?” Kolyat asked.  
“I hope so,” she sighed tiredly. Stepping out of his embrace she went to her locker and grabbed her armor. She smiled as Kolyat helped her with the latches. All she wanted to do was stay up here with him, but she knew that wasn’t an option.   
~oooooooooooo~  
The station was not what she had expected. It reminded her of something you would see in a horror movie. She couldn’t believe anyone would do this to another being, children in particular. They passed four children that were hooked up to a machine. The last time she saw something even remotely close to this was when Archer had his brother hooked up to a machine. This was nowhere near as horrendous, but it was still disturbing. Two kids were hooked up to computers through a tube that led to a nearby fluid container, while another two had tubes coming out of their heads that ran to a different colored solution. Neither she recognized.   
“Anyone want to guess what the fluid is?” she asked.   
“The blue liquid looks like salarian blood,” Mordin answered over the radio.   
“What? Are you sure?” she asked, shocked.   
“No, not sure, said looks like. Won’t know without samples,” Mordin stated.   
“Is there any way to save these kids?” she asked quietly.   
“Not sure, need to be there,” Mordin answered with a bite to his words. She flinched, remembering how upset he had been when she left him aboard the Normandy. She hadn’t wanted him to see her reaction to all of this, but now she was regretting her hasty actions.   
“The shuttle is on its way for you, Mordin,” she grumbled, ignoring the glances of her ground crew.   
“Good. About time,” he said before cutting communication. She wondered if he would forgive her being excluded.   
“I’ve downloaded all the information from these terminals,” Garrus told her. “Sania, don’t you find it odd that no one is in this lab?”  
“Yeah, it’s odd. We were expecting a trap, and I think this might be the beginning of it,” she murmured as she glanced around the room. Nothing looked ‘off’ or out of place. She was about to order Thane to scout ahead, but he had already jumped up into one of the ventilations shafts. She shook her head in amusement as she glanced at Kolyat.   
She walked over to the window where the four kids resided. She could feel their energy and knew something bad was happening to them. Their energy was like nothing she had ever experienced before. It made her skin crawl even though she wasn’t that close to them.   
She jumped when she heard a noise behind them. All three turned to see Mordin, Samara and Kasumi walking toward them. Sania raised a brow, not expecting so many new arrivals. She was about to ask for an explanation, but Samara spoke before she could utter a single word. “You’ve helped each of us. It’s our turn now. Besides, this one needs an ending as my code dictates,” she stated calmly.   
Sania stared at her, not sure what to say. She knew Samara would think this way, but that wasn’t the reason she hadn’t invited the Justicar along. She didn’t want anyone to see her lose control and she was fairly certain that she would. Not biotically, but emotionally. This mission would be very hard on her, harder now than before. She would have to keep all her emotions bottled up. It shouldn’t bother her, but it did. She should be used to bottling up her emotions, but this time she wasn’t sure she would be able to. She knew Garrus, Kolyat and Thane wouldn’t look down on her, but the same couldn’t be said for anyone else.   
Mordin was already doing scans of the kids, making notes into his omnitool. “No. No way to save these. Their minds are dead. Salarian DNA being pumped into two of them. Krogan DNA into the other two. Hearts still beat, but dead, nonetheless,” he said before stepping back. Sania stepped forward and entered the small room where they were held.   
She closed down any emotion she felt as she stared at them. Her old training kicked in. Without thought she placed a bullet in each of them and listened as their heart monitors flat lined. Without another thought she walked out; not bothering to wait for the others. She could hear them following her, but she had to stay cold. She caught Kolyat’s worried look, but ignored it. She couldn’t allow herself to feel. What she had done was only the first challenge and she was sure there would be more.   
~oooooooooooo~  
Several floors below Shepard’s team, Grunt worked his way through the main entranceway while Jack took a side room. He grinned when he heard Zaeed cursing as he killed another scientist. He had killed the guards; they were weak. Jack had killed the two kids that shot biotics at them and Zaeed was focusing on the mouthy scientists. One of them offered to try one of their experiments on Jack, and he had to laugh at her response. She had used her biotics to smash him against the wall; blood dripped from his face as she held him up. Then the little human threw him to the ground with such force that organs had burst forth from his stomach.   
As far as he was concerned Shepard had made a good decision by sending them down here to clean up. There was enough for them. He wondered how his battlemaster was doing. He couldn’t wait to tell her his stories. He knew she would have many of her own to tell about this place.   
Zaeed shook his head as he downloaded information from a nearby terminal. He hated doing it and thought it was a waste of time. But Shepard ordered it; and what Shepard wanted Shepard got - or else. And he didn’t want to see the ‘or else’. He wasn’t a man to fear anyone, but that particular petite biotic was an exception. He didn’t fear Jack; she had limits, even though she hid them. Sania was a trained killer and sometimes you saw it. He recalled a few times when having her at his back made him uneasy.   
He glanced at Jack and saw that she was becoming tired. He remembered Shepard’s warning about the effect that overuse of power had on a biotic’s body. She also gave him some bars to help Jack. He had to give it to the commander. Even though she was the scariest bitch out there, she looked out for her own.   
He smirked as he saw the destruction Grunt was creating. Shepard wanted this place destroyed and Grunt was taking her at her word. At least the krogan was leaving the terminals alone until Zaeed was done with them. Then he would shoot them until they blew.   
He decided that it was time to go to the next room and motioned for Grunt to take the lead.   
Grunt stopped dead at the door of the next room. The hallway had been clear, but this room wasn’t. He enjoyed a good fight, but he remembered Shepard’s warning about possible biotic threats. He knew this one was going to hurt.   
Zaeed stopped right behind Grunt and counted six well-trained teenagers in the room. “Fuck,” he hissed. “Guess Shepard was right; we are going to need the extra medigels.”  
“I’ll deal with these pussies,” Jack growled as she allowed her biotics to flow over her. She watched as her opponents did the same. She didn’t hesitate and neither did they - she hadn’t quite expected that. She grinned menacingly at the thought of a good fight. She had been teaching Kolyat to use his biotics and Sania had been honing her skills. Jack knew she could take these pansy-assed bitches.   
She was about to take out one, but Grunt got to him before she could. That didn’t help her anger one bit. She growled, shoving her hand deep within the closest kid. She saw another coming for her, but didn’t have time to stop him. She grinned when Zaeed used the butt of his gun, slamming it into the kid’s face.   
The fight didn’t take as long as they thought it would, nor was it as bad as they’d imagined. The six teenagers lay dead at their feet. The blood that pooled around them was red, but their eyes were wrong, somehow. Zaeed wondered about their parents’ races. One was human for sure, but he couldn’t decide what mixture made up the remaining dead.   
“Shepard, they are breeding hybrids. Just came across six teen biotics. They are no longer a problem,” Zaeed stated as he radioed in.   
“Need blood samples. Make sure you get them,” Mordin ordered. Zaeed scowled and was about to tell the frog to fuck off, but Shepard cut in.   
“Zaeed, we do need that blood,” she said as if she knew what he was about to say.   
“Will do. There is enough of it lying around,” he muttered.   
“Need clean blood, not contaminated blood,” Mordin stated.  
“We’ll get you fresh blood,” Zaeed muttered and nodded to Grunt, who grinned.   
It didn’t take long for Grunt to get the blood. Zaeed had to chuckle at how the Krogan did it. He stepped on the body and placed a vial within the wound.   
Once their immediate mission for the salarian was complete, they left the room to face the next.   
~ooooooooooooooo~  
Shepard stepped into the room at the end of a long hallway. Her breath caught. It was just like her old room. She was surprised to see it unoccupied. She moved further into the room, avoiding the bodies that littered the ground. She knew it was Thane’s handy work. She wondered where the drell was now; all they had come across were bodies. The trap that had been for them was neatly removed.   
“My father did all this?” Kolyat asked with awe in his voice.   
“I’d bet my last dollar on it. Your father is the best,” she murmured.   
“So where is he?” Kolyat asked, searching the room. He didn’t see a way out and they hadn’t come across him yet. He just hoped his father was okay.   
“Above us,” she answered with a smirk as she heard Thane grumble before jumping down and landing lightly on the floor.   
“Siha…” he reprimanded with an annoyed sigh.   
“One of these days you are going to tell me what that means,” she muttered. “And Thane, it was easy to find you this time. You weren’t snickering quietly enough.”   
Thane looked at her, a startled expression on his face, and then gave an amused smile before falling back into his stoic mask. It was the same mask she was wearing. “Where are Garrus and the others?” Thane asked.   
“They split up to search out the other three rooms in this hallway,” she answered absently as she walked over to the window. “Did the person who lived here show?”  
“No, only minor threats. I believe the occupant of this room is being trained as you were,” Thane answered thoughtfully as he picked up a book from the floor.   
“And you would be right,” a female voice purred from the doorway. Sania turned quickly, but was too slow in reacting. A strong biotic push threw her hard into the glass. She glanced around for Thane and Kolyat. Thane was on the ground just starting to climb to his feet and Kolyat was in the center of the room, surrounded by a biotic shield. She feared for his life. She knew his biotics weren’t strong enough to help him against this woman.   
Sania let her biotics flow over her, dropping her shields. She wondered how extensive this woman’s training had been and how many alterations she’d undergone. She threw her biotics at the woman and watched as she laughed it off. Her heart raced when the woman walked toward Kolyat. Thane started firing at her, but Sania knew his attempt would prove futile.   
She was too far away to get to Kolyat in time, but that didn’t stop her from trying. She could see Kolyat straining to hold his shield in place. She knew he wouldn’t last much longer. She could see the fear in Thane’s eyes. He had tried using his own biotics, but their opponent had only laughed and threw him away again.   
“Now this will be fun. Killing him will harm the both of you. Interesting,” she purred as she reached through the shield and caressed Kolyat’s chest. Sania heard Kolyat growl. She raced toward the woman and prepared to tackle her since her biotics weren’t working. She jumped, only to be thrown away like a rag doll.   
She didn’t know what to do to help Kolyat. Thane stood beside her looking to her for ideas, but she was all out of them. She didn’t know how this woman could withstand her biotics. It made no sense.   
“Wrong move,” Kolyat growled as he grabbed the woman’s arms so she couldn’t get away. He did to her what he had done for Sania so many times. He allowed her biotics to flow over him, taking it within him. It didn’t hurt, but it wasn’t as pleasurable as it was with Sania. He smirked as she struggled against his grip. He laughed when she tried to shove him away. He felt her power draining as she went limp in his hands. He wasn’t fooled by her attempt to entice him into lowering his guard, nor was he going to stop. He saw the fear in her eyes and almost hesitated, but knowing that she would try to kill Sania helped him to continue. He grabbed her more firmly, bringing her closer to his body. He knew the closer contact would drain her energy even further.   
He wasn’t sure how long it took until she lay in his arms, fully drained. He dropped her to the floor and stepped away when he saw his father move toward him. He shook his head at Thane and took the gun from his hand. “No, this one I will do,” he said and placed a bullet in the center of her head.   
“What the hell is going on?” Garrus yelled as he rushed into the room after hearing the gunshots. His own battles had delayed his arrival.   
“Kolyat killed a bitch,” Sania answered with a shrug. She watched as Garrus looked down at the body and then back at Kolyat.   
“Why didn’t you kill her, Sania?” he asked.   
“I couldn’t. I tried, but couldn’t. Her biotics stopped me and Thane. Kolyat drained her using the same technique he uses for me,” she explained.   
Garrus glanced at the young drell once more and grinned. He had to hand it to him; he’d done his job perfectly. He had been very worried about the young drell’s part in this mission, but now he could put those worries to rest. The kid could handle himself. He looked at the bullet hole in the center of the forehead and grinned at Thane. The drell shook his head and indicated his son with a wave of his hand.  
“That’s Kolyat’s work, as well,” Thane murmured.   
Garrus gave a low whistle before leaving the room. He walked by Kolyat and gave him a pat on the back. He didn’t need to look to know that Kolyat moved straight for Sania. He could feel the tension in the drell’s form.   
Garrus worried what else they were going to find as they moved deeper into the facility. He hoped it wouldn’t be worse than the fights they’d encountered so far, but he knew it was a foolish thought. They stepped out in the hall and met up with the remaining team. Garrus was surprised to see the pale color in Mordin’s cheeks. His mouth was in a tight line and his eyes looked haunted.   
He was about to ask what happened, but was stopped. “Wouldn’t go in there, Sania,” Mordin warned. He shook his head when she didn’t listen. “Not good, very problematic.”   
“What’s in there?” Garrus asked as he watched Sania disappear through the doors.   
“Sania is,” Mordin answered. Garrus narrowed his eyes at the stupid answer. He hissed and followed Kolyat and Thane inside.   
Mordin stepped in, but stayed at the door. He could feel the biotic energy in the room rise. “Should leave now,” he muttered, reaching out and tugging on Garrus’ arm. “Not safe. Need to leave now!”  
Garrus stopped dead when he saw what was in the tanks that surrounded the room. Mordin had been right - it was Sania. Each tank held clones of Sania. None looked exactly like her, but he could still tell that it was her. All but one differed in skin color and severity of their physical deformities. The final specimen was a perfect copy of Sania. He understood why Mordin was demanding that everyone leave the area. He glanced at Sania and saw blue energy radiating from her body. He knew this was not going to be good.   
Kolyat grabbed hold of Thane and pulled him out of the room behind Garrus. They ran for the door, closing it tightly behind them. “Zaeed, do you read me?” Garrus called urgently.   
“Yeah, what is it?” Zaeed asked.   
“Sania is about to lose control, so be prepared,” Garrus warned him.   
“She’s found that asshole Mason?” Zaeed asked with a grin.   
“No. Mason made clones of Sania and she’s in the room with them now,” Garrus told him and flinched when he heard a loud crash behind the locked door.   
Kolyat stilled as he felt the floor beneath him vibrate. He looked to his father and saw the same worry. “Spirits, I hope she doesn’t destroy this place with us in it,” Garrus whispered.   
Sania let her biotics loose and watched as the tanks burst open and the contents caught on fire. It killed her to see, but it needed to be done. She looked into the clones’ eyes and saw herself. It felt like she was killing herself in a way. She slumped to the ground as the last occupant burned. There were no screams of pain and she thanked the gods for that. She wasn’t sure that she could handle their anguish.   
She sat on the floor staring at the charred bodies. She wasn’t sure how she should feel about killing people that looked exactly like her. She didn’t glance up when she felt Kolyat kneel down beside her. She didn’t fight when he took her into his arms. “Come on, we have a score to settle with Mason,” he reminded her. Yes, she did have a score to settle. It was the one thing she was looking forward to.   
~ooooooooooooo~  
Zaeed took lead once more, heading to the elevators. They had cleared out all the lower levels. After he heard what Shepard found and was forced to do, he really wanted to be there when she met Mason.   
His group grinned as the admired their handy work in each room they passed. Nothing was left standing and no electronics were left working. There wasn’t a living being anywhere on the first four floors. They had thoroughly cleared them.   
“Think we’ll be there in time?” Grunt asked with a gleeful look in his eyes.   
“We better be. This is one fight that I don’t want to miss,” Zaeed growled, scowling at the numbers as they passed slowly on the elevator panel.   
“You two can watch; I want to be on the ship. Remember the warehouse?” Jack reminded them.   
“Shit,” Zaeed muttered. “Then we better position ourselves near the closest airlock.”   
They grinned as the doors opened. The grins were wiped off their faces when they saw the mechs. “Shit!” Zaeed growled. This was one time that he wished Sania was with him and pissed off. He ordered Grunt to flank them while he and Jack kept their attention. He figured it wasn’t going to work, not with three mechs. One had turned to Grunt, but the krogan didn’t seem to care. Jack took another, running toward it, while he focused on the last one. Before he even had a chance to shoot, Jack stole his thunder. Smiling, he remembered just how good she was at destroying droids from their time on the prison vessel.  
“Shepard, what’s your location?” Zaeed called out over the coms.   
“Hell,” she answered.   
He smirked. “We’re on the floor we left you on. We’ve finished with the bottom floors,” he told her.   
“Follow the sounds of fighting and biotics. I’m pretty sure you’ll find us in the middle of the mess,” Sania told him with a chuckle.  
Zaeed laughed and walked down the hallway. In the far distance they could hear gunfire, but it was very faint. He wondered how far they had gotten. Jack began racing down the hallway and her companions fell in quickly behind her. She grinned as they finally found Shepard’s location. At the far end of a massive room, a single man stood. His suit glowed with biotic power and he was flanked by a troop of biotically trained guards.   
She looked at the pile of bodies that already littered the ground. She wondered why Sania hadn’t lost it completely, and then she saw Kolyat ducked down out of the way with a hand on the commander’s back. Jack fought the desire to make one of her famous comments. She didn’t want to risk the other crew in the room by helping Sania lose control. She could see the young biotic was barely holding it together as it was. Her eyes were glowing blue orbs, devoid of pupils.   
The battle was raging all around her and Jack used her biotics to throw a few of the guards through a nearby window. She smirked when they didn’t return. She chuckled as Thane and Garrus kept score of their kills.   
She threw another group across the room and watched as Grunt barreled his way through a few biotics. She glanced at Sania to see how much time they had left. Based on the glow emanating from her body, Jack knew it wouldn’t be long.   
Her gaze snapped toward Grunt when she heard him growl. She swallowed nervously as he was lifted in the air and thrown. Her companions had all stopped firing and were watching the scene before them nervously. All eyes turned toward Sania. “We need to get out of here now,” Jack yelled as the biotic storm started. She raced over to Grunt’s prone body and let out a sigh of relief when he started moving on his own.   
Garrus ran over to Grunt and helped him return to his feet. Thane, Kolyat and Samara were already at the doors. He glanced down at Sania and saw that Kasumi was standing next to her. She was speaking softly to Shepard, buying them time. Garrus tugged Grunt with him toward the door. They’d just stepped through when Kasumi slipped by them. The turian reached back and slammed the button to shut the doors. Everyone raced to the windows that surrounded the room.   
They had come upon Mason’s office by accident. It had been a trap and they hadn’t realized it in time. He’d remained safely behind his army as the companions took them down one by one. They had made Sania promise that she wasn’t going to fight until Mason was alone. He wasn’t alone yet, but Garrus didn’t think it would matter. He had never seen her like this before.   
“How much has she drained of her power so far?” Jack asked, hoping that the commander wasn’t still working at full potential. That could be fatal for them all.  
“Some. She discovered a room filled with clones of herself and destroyed them all, burning their bodies as they fell from their tanks,” Samara told her.   
“You and I both know that is barely anything for her,” Jack bit out with a scowl.   
“Very true,” Samara murmured, looking worried. Jack didn’t blame her. They both could feel the energy through thick steel doors that were designed to withstand a monumental amount of force.   
Garrus’ eyes widened as pieces of furniture and equipment rose from the floor and began spinning around the room; caught in the current of Sania’s biotic power. Mason was still standing perfectly still; a fact that shocked the turian. Though the man stood behind a protective shield, Garrus was nearly certain that it wouldn’t be enough to save him from Sania’s rage.  
They all ducked when pieces of furniture shot toward them. They knew it wasn’t safe to continue watching through the glass, but none of them was going to leave. They glanced at the splintered couch behind them. They didn’t care that they were standing in shattered glass, not when Sania’s focus turned to Mason.   
“It’s time we end this,” Sania growled as she faced her old teacher.   
“Do you really think you can defeat me?” Mason spat, even though a cold sweat has begun crawling up his back.   
“Think? No. I know I can defeat you. Now it’s time for you to see the full extent of the power that you created,” Sania murmured. Her words carried through the room, echoing off the walls as her biotics grew.   
“What does she mean by that?” Garrus ask nervously.   
“You know when you told me that you’d seen her at her worst?” Kolyat asked and raised a brow ridge when he nodded. “You haven’t. You are about to see it now.”   
“How do you know this?” Garrus asked, his nervousness growing.   
“She showed me her worse,” Kolyat answered simply as he turned back to the fight.   
He didn’t flinch as Sania ruptured Mason’s shields. He knew this was going to be a quick battle; the hard part was already done. He also knew that it was going to be bloody.   
He watched as she lifted him into the air. Both Garrus and his father made to raise their guns, and he stopped them; placing a hand on each man’s shoulder. “No, let her have this,” Kolyat said before turning back to his mate.   
“I’m ending your years of torture and experiments. No more, Mason. It ends now,” she hissed and closed her eyes as she spread her hands wide.   
Kolyat had to re-swallow his supper. Mason was now suspended in the air. Everyone could see the pain in his face. Then Sania spread her arms wide. Bile rose up his throat as he watched Mason’s arms fly in different directions. His legs were next. Kolyat was about to turn away, but her words stopped him. “Now we finished this,” she growled. He knew Ghost’s voice and she was partially there. Sania still had control, however.   
He almost puked as Mason’s body exploded. He had to keep swallowing as Mason’s head landed at his feet. The smell of blood and guts were nearly too much for him. He knew he should go to Sania, but his stomach was about to revolt.   
His father passed him a small packet. Kolyat sniffed it and sighed in relief. The odor of guts slowly vanished and he walked over to his mate.   
“Come on, love, it’s time to leave this place,” he murmured.   
Sania stared up at him, her expression blank. Her mind was apparently numbed to many of the things that had happened. Kolyat could see it in her eyes. As gently as possible he picked her up and carried her out of the room. He held her close to him, not willing to let her go.   
~ooooooooooooooo~  
Kolyat finished dishing up Sania’s plate of food. She was still in her bedroom recovering. The extreme use of biotics had drained her more than she’d ever been before. Today was the first day she had been awake. Kolyat still couldn’t believe it had been a week. Joker had used Garrus’ new cannons and shot the space station until there was nothing left but debris.   
Sania had been in the medbay for a few days and then moved into her room. He had stayed with her constantly, not willing to leave her side unless it was to eat.   
Everything was back to normal on the ship, though spirits were a lot higher. He stepped into their room. He had taken partial possession of it since he spent most of his sleeping hours up here beside her. He smiled when he saw that she was awake.   
“How are you feeling?” he asked softly as he took a seat beside her.   
“Better. Since killing him, I feel like I’ve been set free,” she murmured thoughtfully.   
Kolyat didn’t say anything as he sat beside her, watching her eat. He allowed his purrs to soothe her. He had been told by the human crew that his purrs were unusual, but it didn’t matter to him. Sania loved them.   
Sania placed her plate off to the side, feeling content for the first time in her life. It wasn’t one of the momentary periods of peace that she’d come to know over her lifetime. This was one she knew would last for as long as Kolyat was around. She had to smile; he had been telling her for months that she needed him. She hadn’t believed him, but now she knew he was right.   
“What are you thinking?” Kolyat asked as he rested his head on the top of hers.   
“You,” Sania whispered and grinned when he turned a startled look toward her.   
“Me?” Kolyat asked hesitantly, not sure if he wanted to hear this answer. Usually when she thought about him he had to work ten times harder to get her to open up once more.   
“Yeah,” she began quietly. “Every time I turn around you’re there in ways no one else has ever been. Not because I am Commander Shepard, or the Savoir of the Citadel, but because of me. You want me for me, not my titles or what I can do. For the longest time I fought you. I couldn’t allow myself to believe what I felt. Too many have shown me that they wanted me for what I can do. You are different. Even when I gave you a hard time you were still there,” she murmured. Kolyat held very still, listening to her words. He thought of some cocky words in return, but held off. This was the first time she was really opening up on her own and he didn’t want to ruin the moment.   
“What do you mean ‘you couldn’t allow yourself to believe what you felt’?” he asked hesitantly.   
Sania stilled, her unease growing. Then she chastised herself. This was Kolyat. He had seen her at her worst and been with her through some of the most difficult moments of her life. He’d never run away. If she couldn’t tell him this, then she had no right to him. She owed him honesty; he deserved that much and more. He had taught her this emotion by giving it to her.   
“For the longest time I wasn’t sure what I was feeling. It scared and unnerved me how easily you could get through my defenses. But you deserve to know. You’ve always been there,” she whispered, her throat tightening so much that she couldn’t get the words out. Fear ate at her and her mind raced. She worried that he didn’t return the feelings and she would look like a fool. And it was possible that she would scare him off. She wanted to slap herself for second guessing her decision. If he hadn’t run by now, it was unlikely he would when she finally told him how she felt.   
“I’m waiting,” Kolyat taunted. He could feel the tension in her body and see her mind running wild. He was pretty sure what she was attempting to say, but he really wanted to hear the words. He knew she would never be able to say them without being provoked a little. She was too insecure for that. It was one of the things he loved about her – her ability to be insecure with him and him alone.   
“You’re pushing it,” Sania grumbled.   
“If you don’t hurry up and say those words, I will be pushing something else that I love about you,” Kolyat murmured, grinning as her eyes widened.   
“Did you just…. you just said…. how the hell…? You… love me?” she said and stumbled over her words, trying to find the right question. She glowered as his grin grew. She had to give it to him. He knew how to make her life so much easier.   
“Took you long enough to realize,” Kolyat murmured, brushing a light kiss across her mouth. “Well…” he drawled.   
“You’re an ass, but….” she paused and met his eyes. She could see that he meant his words. She watched as his face grew serious, his joking manner put aside for her. It felt like a ten ton weight had been lifted off her shoulders. “I love you, too,” she murmured before meeting his mouth with her own. The spilled all their emotions into that one kiss. There was no uncertainty; only a firm knowledge that they had finally found a way to defeat their demons by standing side by side. They had already defeated one demon. More waited to try and stop them, but they knew nothing would stand in their way as long as they were together. 

THE END


End file.
